The Chaos Saga
by AshMish111
Summary: Truth and Lies; together they are balanced. Scales tip and illusions shatter, revealing the true depths each would go to bypass their natures, destroy the paved path of destiny, and take what they want: each other. Slow-ish burn. Loki/Kagome. Rated M for langue, violence and suggestive themes.
1. Prologue

**Prologue **

Kagome stood meekly in front of yet another council of foreign gods, soul weary and heartsick. A ghostly Midoriko stood at her side to plead her case. It was going as well as it always had.

"We have spoken to many other pantheons, and none want to take her on. This is our last hope for her."

"And why can't her own gods take her? Is she not their responsibility?" The one eyed god sitting on his golden throne on his raised Dais asked skeptically, his brow lowering over his eyepatch. To his left, a radiant woman with long, golden curls smiled at her with motherly sympathy, and it made a deep longing settle over her. Oh, how she missed her own mother. She didn't even glance at the two beings to the right.

"Our gods have washed their hands of her and the jewel she carries."

"Jewel? Of which jewel do you speak?" The shining lady asked, her tone much softer, sweeter, and it comforted Kagome in a way she hadn't known in what seemed like eons.

"My jewel," Midoriko answered, always ready to take on as much culpability as possible and make Kagome seem like an innocent gift to anyone who would take her. She appreciated it, but it hadn't worked yet.

"The jewel is mine, your majesties. I made it with my own spirit. It was reborn inside Kagome, where it was removed and shattered. It returned to her upon its completion. Being born inside her... it had the unpredictable consequence of making her immortal. She has essentially _become _the jewel. She is a dangerous weapon that cannot be disposed of. Her only hope is to be taken into a fold of beings much more powerful who would shield her instead of use her. I have tried many, many pantheons, but none want to deal with the trouble of my jewel. Our own gods are simply tired of it and want it out of sight. You are her last hope." She was pleading now, and Kagome knew that that must chafe the once proud warrior miko, but she was right, this was all of their last hope.

The God King made to speak, but that beautiful woman to his left placed her hand on his to still his tongue. She stood to her full height, golden robes flowing behind her as she seemed to float down the dais and stopped in front of Kagome. She smiled so kindly, taking Kagome's face in her hands and smoothing her thumbs over her cheeks. Kagome felt a sweet pulse of motherly affection wash through her, her wilting soul desperate to soak up as much of it as it possibly could.

"Of _course_ we'll take her on, isn't that right dear?"

The man behind her sighed deeply before simply grunting in reply. His wife was never one to turn away a child in need.

"Hello dear one, I am Frigga. Welcome to Asgard."

-


	2. Chapter1

_A.N: okay first off: WOW. I really didn't expect the response this fic has already received. You guys are amazing! I am SO excited about this fic. I've been writing on it for a long time and saving up chapters and then the new trailer for the Marvel shows came out and I got to see my bb boi alive and well and I just couldn't hold on to this any longer! Let's update once a week, starting today! _

_Second: here's some "ground rules" for this fic. This is going to be LONG. We're going right up through to Endgame. It will be pretty fun and happy at first, and then pretty dramatic and angsty for a while, and then there will be a happy ending because I always believe in happy endings. This is set in a universe where gods just exist. All of them. And Loki, Thor, etc. are actually immortal gods. That little speech Odin gives Loki in Darkworkd about not actually being immortal? Fugettaboutit. Okay! Here we go!_

Book One: Things That Break, Things That Bind

Chapter One: 

Kagome knew she should feel thankful. Her life as an outcast vagabond had come to an end and she was looking down the barrel of a new life in a new realm surrounded by shiny people and unimaginable comforts. But she was beginning to feel dread and uncertainty settle in her gut as she tried to ascertain just how far from home she was. She glanced around as she was led to a room, Midoriko speaking in hushed tones with Frigga, the gloriously beautiful goddess who had been the first and only to show her mercy thus far. Great swaths of heavy fabrics softened a palace gilded almost completely in gold. She'd seen many such palaces as she and Midoriko had hopped pantheons but she'd never taken the time to truly look. She felt very small in the gargantuan hall they were walking down.

Frigga stopped them and took Kagome gently by the shoulders.

"Here we are my dear girl. Now this is only temporary, I'm having a much larger, nicer set of rooms made up to be your more permanent residence, and someone will be by very shortly to show you to the baths and leave you a change of clothes."

Kagome perked right up at "baths" but halted; this room, though she hadn't yet looked in, would suffice she was sure.

"Oh please don't bother yourself about another room. I can stay in this one."

Frigga smiled at her indulgently.

"Absolutely not. This is your _home_ now child, you'll have a nice room near the rest of the family. Now, go inside and have a rest, dear, and I'll see you at dinner."

The gleaming goddess placed a soft, gentle touch to her cheek and Kagome bit back a sob.

Yes, she would rest. And she would finally cry. But first...

"What will _you _do know, Midoriko?"

The ancient miko looked tired, relieved, pained and stretched so thin she might lose corporeal form entirely.

"I will rest as well."

"Can you sleep in a bed? I don't think I've ever seen you sleep before."

"No Kagome. I'm afraid my time is up now. I must go back into the jewel. I'm so sorry I can't make sure you will be happy here, but I had just enough energy to make sure there was no malice to be found toward you. I believe you are safe, and that's almost more than I ever hoped for."

Kagome bit her lip and finally glanced around her room, noticing a vase of flowers near a sunny window warming the bed. She sighed, resigned to finding her bearings here alone, the only other tie to her home, her friends, her family finally severed. But she had to make sure of one thing.

"Will you really rest? Or will you be doomed to battle in there all over again?"

A look of peace the likes of which Kagome had never seen washed over Midoriko's face and the thin, tattered fingers of hope tried to poke at her heart.

"No Kagome, thanks to your sacrifice of your humanity, the jewel has been cleansed. I will find my true rest now, after all this time. _thank_ _you_."

The sob she'd been swallowing finally broke free.

"I wish I could hug you, Midoriko. You really deserve this."

"Make the best of this Kagome, please? You deserve rest as well. Won't you try to let them be a family to you? Don't let the past cloud your heart for good. Promise you'll try. For me?"

Closing her eyes against the burn of tears, Kagome did her best to smile and nod, wanting her dear friend's last views of this plane to be happy, a celebration of the end of their journey together.

"Hai, I will. I'll try..."

"Oh sweet girl, now my heart truly can rest. You have become my sister in these years Kagome, if I could wish on my own jewel, it would be for _your_ happiness. Goodbye my friend."

And with that, the ghostly form of the Miko Midoriko faded into nothing. Kagome felt a tiny wisp of her settle deep into the recesses of her soul where the jewel had integrated, and then felt it snuff out for good. She clutched her heart and prayed to the Kami for a better, easier life for her friend on the other side of reincarnation. And then the dams on her heart broke and she buried herself in the silk of her sheets to cry out her grief.

She was truly alone now, in the far reaches of time and space, with only her bow and quiver to remind her she ever came from anywhere at all.

The faces of each and every person she'd been forced to leave behind flashed through her mind one by one; her friends, her family on both sides of the time jump.

She fell asleep wishing she'd never followed Buyou into that well.


	3. Chapter2

A soft knocking on the door brought Kagome gently to the shores of the waking world, where the warm, glowing morning light was a sharp but welcome contrast to her dreams. Her eye lids fluttered open and it took her several seconds to get her bearings and remember where she was.

'_Asgard. That's right_...'

She sat up slowly, the silken sheets of her bed slipping from her shoulders and gathering around her. She took in her room again, her eyes feeling swollen and crusty from her tears. She couldn't imagine how rough she looked, but all in all she had to admit things seemed a good measure less bleak than they had the night before.

"Miss? Are you in there?"

A muffled voice startled Kagome back into the here and now, and she slid out of bed and walked quickly to the door. She cracked it open and found what must have been a servant girl with a lovely face and a friendly smile.

"Hello miss, I'm here to drop off some clothes and show you to the baths before breakfast."

"Breakfast? It's morning?"

"Yes miss. You were sleeping when I came for you at dinner last night. Her Majesty instructed me to let you sleep, but to wake you first thing to freshen up for breakfast."

"Oh. Thank you so much."

She opened the door wider, allowing the girl to come inside. She placed the stack of clothing on the table with the vase and turned to the wall across from the bed.

"There's a vanity just behind this curtain for your use as well, Miss."

"I didn't know, thank you, I must look very ragged. Um, I'm so sorry, what's your name?"

"Oh! Pardon me for forgetting, I'm Dalla. And you look no worse than any other traveler who's finally found home after a long journey."

Dalla's smile was sweet and sympathetic and to Kagome it was a glimpse of what else she might find here.

"Thank you, Dalla. I'm Kagome. Now, about these baths!"

——————————————————-

After living so long "on the road" drifting all over the world through spirit channels and off beaten paths and generally living as if they were still hunting Naraku through the country side, a thorough soak in an Asgardian bath with all manner of soaps and shampoos and oils was a luxury Kagome hadn't even known to hope for.

She was feeling so much like her old self she didn't quite know how to cope, so she asked Dalla to simply point her in the direction of the dining hall so she could have a few minutes alone to sort her thoughts.

She walked slowly and took in everything. Everything gleamed and everyone shined and she wasn't quite sure she'd ever been anywhere so beautiful or pleasant.

Hope had fully squeezed her heart at this point, and as relaxed, she felt she didn't have it in her to fight it off. It seemed her soul was eager to find a place here. Listening to what her heart had to say had rarely steered her wrong before, so she stopped, took one deep breath, and determined to do just as Midoriko asked and find herself some happiness here.

She squared her shoulders and carried on, coming to the great gilded doors of the Dining Hall Dalla had said she would be taking meals now.

A bit of a nervous pit settled in her stomach. She had seen very few people so far, and she wasn't sure just how many she'd be walking in on now. But she'd never let people scare her off before, no matter how great or powerful. She wouldn't start now.

She took a clarifying breath, grabbed the door handle and pulled the heavy door open. She stepped inside and looked around to find... one table in a smallish room with four people.

"Oh."

"Kagome darling, I'm so pleased you've joined us!" Frigga stood and made her way over, wrapping one arm around a stunned kagome's shoulders and leading her firmly toward what was obviously the family table. She wasn't sure why she had been expecting some communal mess hall, but she should have realized the people here probably all ate with their families on regular days like today.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to intrude on your family breakfast. This is where Dalla told me to come."

"She did just right. Of course you'll be eating with us. Where else would you go?"

"I don't know, I thought there would be some kind of... communal thing..."

"That's just for feasts and banquets dear. Now let me introduce you properly. I'm sure you remember my husband, the Allfather Odin, king of Asgard. And these are my sons, Thor, and Loki."

A large, muscled blonde man with a bright smile looked up and waved, prompting her to wave awkwardly back.

"Hello new little sister! Come sit next to me!" He pulled the empty chair out at his right and Frigga pushed her down into it.

"You don't have to call me... I'm not..."

"Nonsense little sister, you'll be staying here forever, will you not? Why not just be part of the family?"

"Well..."

"And we haven't had a princess in ages!"

"Oh well I'm certainly not a..."

"You'll have your pick of asgardian males! But don't worry, Big Brother Thor won't let any of them near you."

He winked and she felt horribly awkward and completely unsure of what to say.

"Thor, your frightening the girl."

A lithe, slender male with shockingly dark hair spoke up from across the table, not so much as glancing up from the book he was reading. She found her voice in an effort to be polite.

"You must be Loki."

"So it would seem."

"Pay him no attention sister of mine, our brother is-"

"I am _not_ her brother."

"Don't be rude Loki, she's-"

"No no, it's okay, Uh.. brother Thor... but if he's uncomfortable calling me family he really doesn't have to." She hoped it would be enough to appease him. She was not used to such familiarity so quickly and it made her very uncomfortable. Apparently giving in and claiming him as brother in return did the trick. He grinned and turned back to his food.

"Very well. He's not as good of a brother as I am anyway."

She giggled despite herself and looked around the table. Plates piled with all sorts of food stretched from one end to the other, and Kagome was awed that _this_ wasn't considered a feast or a banquet. Her stomach growled loudly and her cheeks pinked at Thor's chuckling.

"Go on dear, help yourself. What's ours is yours."

Frigga's kind words and smiles eased her tension and she reached for familiar things; bread and jam, some cheese, and an assortment of bright berries. Everything was fresh and delicious and Kagome felt herself wake up that much more.

"Where is your ghostly friend Little Sister? Does she not take food?"

She did her best to smile at Thor's question, but it drove a thorn of sadness into her still raw heart.

"I'm afraid Midoriko was no longer able to stay with me. It was time for her to move on now that I've found a safe place."

Frigga reached across the table and grabbed her hand.

"Oh my dear, I'm so sorry for your loss of your friend."

"No, it's alright, she'd been hanging on for far too long. I really should be thanking you all for letting me stay here. Without you, I don't know that she would have ever found peace."

"Where else did you seek refuge?" Thor asked as he slid her a goblet of something that smelled strong and sweet. She took a small sip and smiled in thanks.

"Everywhere. South America, North America, Egypt, Polynesia, Various places in Europe, Greece... after the gods of my own country sent me packing we went anywhere you could think of that had a pantheon of gods or spirits or rulers to see if they'd 'adopt' me."

"And you weren't offered sanctuary _anywhere_?"

"Nope. Well, that's not entirely true. Zeus seemed keen on letting me stay, though you can probably guess why. Hera was about to toss us right off Mt. Olympus before Hades showed up to give us a ride. I wasn't all that sad to get out there. Everywhere else... they had more than enough of their own problems. I don't begrudge them not wanting to take on another."

Thor huffed loudly and took a great gulp from his goblet before slamming it down on the table.

"Zeus. Feh. Pitiful excuse for a thunder god that one is."

Kagome was startled to hear a snort of amusement come from Loki, though his eyes remained steadfastly glued to his book. Frigga tutted disapprovingly.

"Now Thor, lets not be disrespectful at the breakfast table. We're just glad your with is now, Kagome."

"Here here!" Thor lifted his goblet once more in toast, and Kagome giggled again, relief seeping ever further into her heart.

She turned back to her breakfast when she felt the weight of a nearby gaze on her. She glanced up to find the most striking pair of green eyes she'd ever seen staring steadily at her. Her cheeks blushed a subtle rose and Loki slowly lifted one brow in response before going back to ignoring them all.

Kagome exhaled the breath she didn't realize she'd been holding and took another drink from her goblet. She didn't sense any ill will coming from Frigga's other son, but these Asgardian auras had been a bit harder to read than she was used to.

She chatted quietly with Thor and said a quick, silent prayer of thanks for the new friends- and family- that she had made here. A quiet chuckle came from across the table, but Kagome ignored it and enjoyed the rest of her breakfast in her new home.

_A.N.: were going with the 'Loki has green eyes when he's not under Thanos control' fan theory here. And no offense or disrespect intended for anyone's myths, legends or religion in this chapter. Just telling a fictional story!_


	4. Chapter3

_A.N.:Happy Valentine's Day! As a show of love to all of you who come read my stories and leave your sweet encouragements, here's a bonus update! You are all so special to me _

She didn't have time to wonder what she would do with herself after breakfast, as Thor took her arm, looped it around his, and proudly declared he was taking her on an exhaustive tour of the whole palace.

"You'll know where everything is by the end of the day, you can be sure of it!"

"That's very kind Thor, but you do not have to spend your day with me showing me around. You must have so many other things to do."

"Nonsense! Nothing is more important than this."

He pulled her along beside him, and she practically ran to match his long stride. He slowed for her benefit and she smiled in thanks.

"Here we have the hallway! And this is another corridor. This is a window, and these are the curtains."

Kagome giggled despite her best efforts to be polite and Thor dropped her arm to cross his over his chest.

"You find something amusing little sister?"

"You're a _terrible_ tour guide."

He joined in her laughter before taking her arm again and leading her down a series of walkways.

"I was teasing you. It pleases me to be able to bring you joy enough to laugh this way. You seemed nearly broken when they brought you to us."

"Oh that's right, I sort of noticed there were other people in the room aside from your parents, but I didn't know that was you. If I looked anywhere near as awful as I felt, then I pity you for having to see me that way."

She tried to laugh it all off, but Thor proved to be surprisingly intuitive and empathetic.

"There is no place for pity among family, Kagome. You need not pretend you are alright when you are with me."

She blushed and tried to keep any awkwardness at bay.

"How can you already claim me as family. You've only known me for an hour."

He winked at her and flashed a megawatt smile she couldn't help but trust in.

"I have a sense about these things."

She narrowed her eyes in speculation before deciding to drop the matter all together. Being part of a family again did seem so very appealing to her wandering soul.

"Alright, if you say so."

"Do you not wish to be apart of the family?"

"Oh no, it's not that at all. Where I'm from, we aren't usually so familiar with people we've just met, so I'm not used to this. Also...I don't want you to feel obligated to me. I've had plenty of experience being an obligation and I have no desire to go down that road again. I can keep to myself and make myself scarce if that would be best."

"You're very considerate Kagome, but I am very obstinate, at least that's what Loki says. I personally prefer wise, all knowing and self assured. And I am MOST assured that you are now my little sister, that's what all this wisdom in here says."

He tapped his forehead and winked again, and Kagome found herself caught in another fit of giggles.

Just then, they arrived to a large, nearly wall sized window with all the curtains drawn completely back.

"Here we are!"

"Another window, '_Brother Thor_?'" She asked with a teasing lilt to her voice.

"No Kagome, Asgard. Your new home."

He gently pushed her forward, and what she saw from the vantage point of the window he'd brought her to left her breathless.

"Oh my..."

"Indeed. There's no other place like it in all 7 realms."

She remembered briefly from a cultural studies class she'd been able to sit in a few times a lecture about the Norse religion and mythos being built around the belief of the 7 realms. Seems at least that part was true. She filed it away with the other bits of knowledge she'd picked up from her time pantheon hopping.

"You can even see the bifrost from here, that's where Heimdall is."

"Bifrost? Heimdall?"

"The Bifrost is the way in and out of Asgard, and Heimdall guards the gate, so to speak. He sees all things."

She followed his pointing finger until she caught sight of a glittering rainbow streak.

"We didn't come in on that."

"Yes, your little portals opening in the throne room were very alarming. If we hadn't been so blindsided by two little women stepping out you might have ended up... less fine than you are now."

Feeling sheepish, kagome gave him an apologetic look that he waved off.

"Heh... sorry about that. We'd been traveling through spirit channels so long we sort of forgot that some places have official 'doorways' I guess."

"It's no bother. However, father will probably go to work trying to keep it from happening again. This time our surprise was fortuitous indeed. But next time we might not be so fortunate."

"Maybe I can help with that."

"How would you help?"

"Well I am a trained priestess. I'm not just a meat suit for this dumb jewel."

Thor doubled over in laughter.

"Meat suit! I should borrow that some time!"

"Have at it," Kagome chuckled in response, happy to be getting a long so well with a member of her new "family."

"Are you really a trained priestess?"

"Oh yes. Trained by the best, the legendary Midoriko, my 'ghostly friend' as you called her earlier. My powers are spiritual in nature, and since the pathways we used were also spiritual, I may be able to help find some way to block entrance to Asgard through the spirit realms."

Thor stroked his chin in thought for a moment, considering all of this new information. His father would certainly be interested to know that she wasn't just a vessel for a deadly weapon, but had her own innate abilities as well.

"Hmm... I will bring it up to father later. For now, let's finish our tour."

She took one last look out the window at the shimmering landscape of Asgard and hurried off after Thor, grateful she'd already began forging what she hoped would be a lasting friendship.

——————————————————

By lunch time, Thor had dragged kagome so far across the palace that she was ravenous. He'd also kept her in high spirits the whole time. She'd had no time at all to think on the sad parts in her heart, which she suspected was his plan all along, so she walked into the family dining room giggling at some joke Thor finished telling her. Frigga acknowledged them briefly, then turned back to Loki, who was smiling softly and talking quietly with her. It was such a stark change from the cool demeanor he'd been wearing at breakfast while he read at the table that Kagome was hard pressed not the stare at him in awe. He was very handsome in a unique, sophisticated way she'd seen only a few times before. Sesshoumaru came to mind, with his fine, aristocratic features; they were very similar that way.

He must have felt her staring, as the next thing Kagome knew, she was staring straight into his piercing green eyes. He simply looked at her questioning, both brows raised. She blushed and waved, hoping to pass off her rudeness as a greeting instead. He looked at her for a moment more before turning back to his mother to continue their conversation.

If she hadn't been rudely and openly gawking at him moments before, she would have been miffed at him for not acknowledging her hello, but as it was, she was barely managing to keep herself from melting into the floor in embarrassment.

Instead she took a seat next to Thor who was already filling her cup with more of that sweet liquid he'd given her for breakfast. She began filling her plate and nibbling at things and settled in to just listen, not wanting to push herself to far forward around the rest of the family. She hoped Thor didn't have other plans.

"Where is father?" He spoke up next to her.

"He had to attend a gathering of realm officials, but he will join us for dinner."

"There was a realm gathering? Why was I not instructed to attend?"

"Only your father's presence was necessary darling. Don't sulk."

"I should be going to all of these things."

He turned to Kagome and puffed out his chest a little.

"I am to be king one day."

"Oh?" Kagome glanced down the table at Loki, who seemed to have become a bit sullen as he picked at his food. "You're the elder brother, then?"

"Of course. Oldest, strongest, most handsome-"

"But not the smartest."

"That was very rude, Loki. I would like an apology.

"I'm sorry Thor."

"Thank you Loki, I forgi-"

"I'm sorry you weren't born with more intelligence than a common house gnat."

"Why you-"

"_Boys_! Cease this childish display at once! We are all trying to have our lunch in peace." Frigga's voice boomed over their growing squabble, silencing them abruptly.

"Sorry mother."

"I'm Sorry mummy..."

"Kagome darling," Frigga addressed her, softly laying a hand on her own, "I beg you ignore my wretched sons. They have abysmal manners."

Loki seemed highly offended at that accusation and Kagome snickered under her breath.

"It's alright, I understand. I have a little brother."

"Oh do you? Tell me about him."

And so Kagome allowed herself to speak about her family that was lost to her in the vastness of space and time. Of her brother who loved soccer and video games and candy and doing his best to get under her skin. Of her mother who made the best tea and oden and always knew what to say. Of her grandfather who told wacky stories of the past and counted his treasures in his store rooms over and over everyday. She spoke of them, and instead of letting it break her, she tried to let it heal her.

It was still a raw spot on her heart, she wondered if it always would be. But for the first time in a long time, she felt safe and warm. And if she looked very very close, she almost felt at home.


	5. Chapter4

_A.N.: this one is a bit short, but it's a necessary stepping stone into Kagome's time in Asgard. I'd also like to take the opportunity to thank everyone for their interest in this story! I'm so excited to keep sharing and hearing from all of you!_

By the time her head hit her pillows, her heart had reached its limit. The day had been full of wonderful distraction and glimpses of hope and belonging that she'd been craving for so very long.

But the dying of the day doesn't just make furniture shadows grow taller.

Kagome felt all the dark, shadowed places in her heart start to swell in a way a heart never should swell, and sadness burned her throat.

She was so far away from her family, her friends.

The sheer distance between them loomed dark and deep, taunting and threatening. She had crossed it and survived, but it whispered to her that she'd still be swallowed by it, that she'd never escape.

The shining faces and warm embraces she'd received upon her arrival paraded across her memory but they did little to quench the sting of tears.

It must be time to mourn.

Never one to hide from truth for long, Kagome allowed herself to fall apart, thankful she'd been able to hold it together long enough to send Dalla to her own bed. She did not feel like sharing her sorrow, not yet.

If felt like all she had left of her previous life, her previous family, was this heartbreak that was for them. She would keep it close and sacred until more distance and time made it smaller and more manageable.

Truly, she hadn't really had the time to have an honest cry about any of this, for as soon as Naraku's corpse had hit the ground the jewel had sucked her up and simply informed her of her new status as it's eternal guardian.

It had never been meant to leave her body at all. And now it never would, as it broke apart again and dissolved into her blood, her bones, her skin, ripping away her mortality and fusing with her soul.

She'd been given no say, no time for questions or comments. No chance for goodbyes.

No offer of a wish at all.

_'Poor Inuyasha_.'

Her heart throbbed again at the thought of her puppy eared love.

She was supposed to request Kikyo's return to life.

It had not even been inuyasha's idea. She'd broached the subject with him the night after her humiliating confession. Naraku was just over the horizon and she wanted to face him with no regrets. So, when everyone had found their beds for the night, she'd pulled Inuyasha away to bare her heart and request his in return. Unfortunately, he still didn't have his to give her. As remorseful as he'd been, kagome would accept no pity. This had been her choice, after all. And now no matter what happened, she'd have no questions left unanswered. There would be no 'what ifs' to plague her in life _or_ death.

The following night she'd made him her offer: she would wish for Kikyo's return.

The way his eyes had lit up would stay with her forever, both a beautiful memory of her first love and a stinging reminder of her first rejection.

She would cherish it all the same, as the jewel had had its own plan and her wish had been ignored and disregarded altogether. Her wishes didn't matter at all.

They never had.

Her fate was not her own, it was the Shikon Jewel's.

Midoroko showed up, floating out of the nothingness of the inside of the jewel and offering her assistance, leading her to the gods who had promptly shunned her, tired of the jewel and all of its trouble.

They'd sent her off with a parting gift: find someone powerful enough to protect her, or find herself twisted and used by evils far greater than Naraku.

That had ultimately led her here. She couldn't say she was regretful of that, this place was far more than she'd ever thought she'd end up with. And instead of being shoved away into a dusty corner to be forgotten about as a bother, she'd been welcomed into a family.

A _family_.

One that, after she'd had proper time to _actually _mourn the loss of her other one, she'd no doubt sink into and love as if she'd been born to them all in the first place.

She would apparently be here for a long time, anyway. The bonds she would forge here would probably rival anything she felt with anyone currently, after so much time together.

But she was not ready for that yet, not ready to let current heart connections slip so far behind her.

She pulled the sheets up and over her head, completely encasing herself in pitch black darkness.

She let recollections of firelight in dark caves flicker behind her eyelids, memories of voices and laughter tickle her ears.

She was alone, but her thoughts followed her into sleep and gave her the first good, healing dream she'd had since the jewel had shattered her world.

She was surrounded by love in a mountain cave keeping them dry as rain fell in thick sheets outside. A fire crackled happily in the center, sticks with hunted rabbit and marshmallows all roasting around the perimeter.

Music played; merry, chirpy tunes filling all the empty space.

Sango dodged Miroku's 'cursed' hand while polishing Hiraikotsu. Shippo drew pictures of a posing Kirara. Inuyasha showed Souta all the new forms of Tessaiga. Grandfather slapped ofuda up and down the cave walls. Her mother fussed over friends and food.

She was back were her heart had last felt whole, with the people who still filled her soul.

And she was allowed to say goodbye.

The morning dawned much too quickly, and Kagome woke with both closure and despair weighing equally on her shoulders.


	6. Chapter5

A light rapping on her door and a sweet, motherly voice drew Kagome the rest of the way into the waking world.

She'd clung as desperately as she was able to sleep and the lovely dream she'd had, but all good things must come to an end.

"Kagome? Dear, it's time to wake. I have an errand I'd like you to attend with me."

She drug herself from the bed, her feet chilled against the floor as she padded softly to the door.

She opened it and smiled as best she was able to Frigga, who'd waited patiently on the other side.

Frigga tutted softly, lifting Kagomes face with a finger under the chin and turning it side to side, observing the dark, puffy skin under her eyes and the sticky residue of tears on her cheeks.

"Oh child, let's clean you up."

She gently ushered Kagome back into her room, pulling the curtain concealing the vanity table back and pushing her down into the seat.

She fetched a wash cloth from the water basin and softly wiped away the tear tracks before taking a comb to the snags in her hair.

Kagome would usually demur from such a thing, insisting there was no need to fuss. But truthfully, after spending the night in dreams with her mother and waking to find her gone, it felt like a balm to the prickly parts of her broken heart to be "mothered" in this way.

Frigga's touch was soft and her voice was sweet, and her soul ebbed around her own protectively.

She may not be her real mother, but she was a perfect stand in.

"There. Much better. I can't imagine how tired your heart must be, and so young. You will have as much room and time to grieve as you need, dear one. And when you're ready, you will forever have a place here to step into and belong."

Kagome's smile was tremulous but genuine and she placed her hand on top of Frigga's where it rested on her cheek.

"Thank you. Thank you so much. I'm so, so grateful for how welcome you've all made me. Please don't think other wise. It's just... I haven't had much time to really let myself accept what I've lost. I have too much to gain here, I know that, so I have to let go of the other stuff first. It's just hard."

"You take your time, we all have plenty of it. Now, let's get you dressed. I'll be taking you to my tailor this morning to get you fitted for a new wardrobe."

Kagome did balk at that, recovered enough to not allow herself to be too selfish.

"Oh, you don't have to do that, really. The dresses in the drawers here are more than enough. I couldn't accept something so extravagant.."

"Of course you can. And you will. The clothes here belong to the room and whichever visitor is placed here. You'll be moving to a bigger room very shortly, and besides, you need more than two dresses at a time. Think nothing of it and come along."

Kagome had little choice but to follow, now dressed in one of the simple garments housed in the dresser on one of her walls.

She'd noticed, of course, that it was nowhere near as lovely as some of the other things she'd seen worn. A simple, brown dress that fell almost completely straight from her shoulders to her feet, cinched at the waist with a polished metal belt. The other in the drawer was much the same, but in a dark green fabric. She'd thought they'd suited her well enough, and _anything_ was better than that old set of miko robes she'd been wearing that Midoriko had conjured up from who knows where.

But apparently Lady Frigga had other ideas, whether she liked it or not.

——————————————————

"What about this one, my lady, with the trailing sleeves?"

"Hmm... I think not in that color. It wouldn't suit her complexion. Bring out that one with the embroidered hem."

"Very good my lady, keen eye as always."

Kagome stood stock still, fabrics swirling about her while measurements were taken and pins were placed here and there.

A stack of new garments already laid neatly folded on a small table, and it was only growing. Everything in it was many times more extravagant than the simple clothing she'd been borrowing. She stared at it with dread, it made her unsure and uneasy to just be given these things, but Frigga only added more and more beautiful pieces to the pile.

"What do YOU think of this one, dear?"

She startled and snapped out of her daze, glancing at herself in the mirror. She wasn't sure what there was to decide, it was a gorgeous dress.

"It's lovely."

"Yes, but do you like it little lady?" The tailor asked, his voice not hiding his eagerness for her approval, but also ready to find something else to please her.

"Of course, it's beautiful work. Did you make it?" He blushed and tittered and preened, pride for his craft and skill making his eyes shine.

"Oh this old thing. It was nothing at all, nothing at all. Let me show you something remarkable indeed. I've been working on it for _you_ my queen."

He disappeared into a back room and returned with a stunning gold garment, an image of the bifrost embroidered in shimmering rainbow threads circling up from the bottom of the hem.

"Made of the finest Asgardian silk and hand stitched and embroidered all by me."

"Oh what a lovely surprise! And just in time for the upcoming celebration in a few weeks time. Oh dear. That means we'll have to find Kagome something formal as well. I don't believe you have time to make something new, so let me see what you have ready."

"But you've just given me so many new beautiful clothes, can't I wear some of those?"

Frigga chuckled distractedly, already sorting through the new stash of formal wear.

"Don't be silly dear, those are day dresses."

Kagome shrugged helplessly, deciding to simply hang on for the ride as they began holding dress after dress up against her form to get an idea of length and color and style.

The last one she actually found particularly stunning, and at her gasp, Frigga and the kind tailor smiled at each other in triumph.

"I think we've found the one."

————————————————————-

Dressed in one of her new garments, arm wrapped around Frigga's, Kagome walked serenely at the side of the Queen of Asgard to breakfast.

She hadn't realized how early they'd been up and out in order to make it all the way to the tailor's, pick all those dresses, and then get back. They'd had a ride there and back, but it had still been quite the journey. Safe to say she was starving now.

"Thank you, my Lady. For everything. You've been so generous, I don't-"

"Say no more, dear. It is my greatest pleasure."

A slightly demented chuckling coming from just up the hall stole their attention, and they both caught sight of a black haired figure walking backwards towards them.

Frigga shot Kagome a suspicious look.

"Loki darling, what mischief are you getting up to? And so early?"

Loki spun around abruptly, a look of surprise on his face.

"Mother! What are you doing in this hallway?"

"We've come from the tailor's shop, dear. This is the quickest way to the dining hall."

He looked in between both of them quickly and then back up the hallway.

"Well, it's a lovely morning! Why not take the scenic route? Allow me to escort you ladies."

He slipped between them, linking his arms in theirs and turned down a connecting corridor, walking them swiftly in a different direction.

"Loki, _what _have you done this time."

"Nothing mother, just a bit of fun."

A loud clanging and what almost sounded like fireworks went off, followed by loud cursing in what sounded like Thor's voice. Loki stiffened, stepped back from them and morphed before their eyes into a perfect replica of Kagome's form.

"You didn't see me." He turned and ran back up the corridor he'd led them down, going back the way he'd been coming from in the beginning.

"Thor? Thor, what's happened?" He was mimicking her voice perfectly. Anyone who couldn't read the unique signatures in a person's aura would be utterly fooled by him.

"Oh _wow! _He... that was amazing!"

"Yes, Loki is a trickster through and through. Keeps us all on our toes."

"He just... he looked _just_ like me! He even had my voice! I've known high level kitsune who couldn't replicate a person so perfectly!"

Frigga chuckled and began leading them back towards the dining hall.

"I'm sure he'll appreciate having someone new to impress with his tricks. Now come along dear, I'm starving."


	7. Chapter6

Chapter 6.

Thor glared at Loki all through breakfast, the ends of his beard just slightly singed and soot covering his shoulders. Loki remained aloof and unaffected by every huff and grumble, instead remarking to his mother how lovely the breakfast spread was this day and how nice her hair looked.

Frigga hid her amusement as best she could, and Kagome wondered how often things like this happened around here.

She made to pay Loki a compliment on his spot on likeness of her, but before she could so much as open her mouth, he stood, excused himself with a slight but polite bow, and practically glided out the door. She clicked her mouth closed and felt impressed all over again.

'_He's very... suave, isn't he?_'

"Kagome!" Thor burst through her distraction with the first smile she'd seen on his face all morning, and she giggled at his bright eagerness.

'_And HE'S just a big puppy. They're brothers, but so different.'_ She smiled fondly, remembering another set of brothers so different from each other. She allowed Thor to drag her right out of the dining hall, intent on being thoroughly distracted from her suddenly bittersweet thoughts.

"So where are we going today, Thor? More tours of the windows and curtains? Or maybe you'll show me some rugs this time?"

She snickered as he cut her a look and shook his head.

"No. I want to introduce you to my friends! Who will now be your friends, of course. Greatest warriors in Asgard! Aside from myself, anyway."

"Oh, uh..." she paused a moment, and Thor grabbed her hand to tug her along next to him.

"Do not be nervous, they'll love you!"

"I'm sure they're very nice, Thor, but you don't have to share your friends with me, I'd hate to intrude..."

"Nonsense! They're just a bit further this way, in the training hall!"

"There's a training hall?" Logistically she knew there must be. There had to be some kind of place for the armed forces of Odin to sharpen their skills and remain in fighting shape, but learning for sure and being taken their straight away pleased her immensely. She hadn't touched her bow since she'd arrived, or even exercised or really stretched her powers at all. She couldn't wait to see what kind of 'dojo' existed in the glittering Asgardian palace.

"There is, indeed! And you'll get to see the strongest and finest of Those who guard our home and people hone their skills!"

It was obvious this was where Thor enjoyed spending the most of his time. She glanced down at the huge muscles bulging from his arms and grinned. '_He's basically a goofy gym rat._'

"Could... could I use it, too?"

He stopped and turn to stare at you, head slightly tilted to the side as he regarded her in confusion.

"You are a warrior?"

"Well duh."

"What is your weapon of choice?"

"The bow and arrow."

"Truly?"

"You didn't see it strapped to my back when I first got here?"

"I admit my attention was initially more taken by the ghost escorting you."

She giggled and had to relent that maybe that situation was too strange and alarming to warrant noticing such a mundane thing as a bow and quiver, so she gave him a pass.

"Alright, Alright. That whole thing _was_ pretty weird. I told you I have spiritual powers. I can heal and give blessings and make barriers of protection, but I can also... kill when I need to. My powers react to darkness. I can purify a person if they have enough of it in them. And purification doesn't mean "make them good." It just turns them to dust. I usually do that with my bow and arrows."

His face lit up at the possibility of stories of war and valor he'd never heard before.

"You have seen battle?"

She cocked a brow and wondered at the excited look on his face.

"Uh... yeah."

"You must tell me every tale. But first, we go to the training halls! I'll send someone to fetch your bow from your room since you no doubt lack the strength to wield an Asgardian made one, and then you must demonstrate for us!"

It made her slightly uncomfortable to think about someone being that excited to hear about something as gritty and gruesome as war. It had been the culminating purpose of her whole adventure into the past to fight and destroy Naraku, but she still saw it as less remarkable than the relationships she'd forged, the hearts she'd helped heal or the peace she'd helped restore.

"I guess some time I can... tell you about it."

He led her through a huge door and into a giant room that opened onto a lawn, more weapons than she had ever seen on hooks and shelves and display stands and in chests lining every wall. She could see targets littering the ground outside with arrows and knives and axes buried in and around the bullseyes and people sparred with fists and swords and staffs in nearly every corner.

"Oh my."

"Indeed. Now, these are the greatest friends you'll ever need! Kagome, meet Lady Sif and the Warriors Three!"

She smiled politely and allowed Thor to complete the introductions, noting a faint wisp of sadness and dread coming from the woman of the group, Sif.

"Guys, this is my new little sister Kagome. She arrived just the other day and we've adopted her as our own! You will be nice to her or _else_."

At the word "sister," she noticed Lady Sif's aura lighten completely, and she gave Kagome a genuine smile and greeting.

'_She must have some sort of feelings for him,'_ Kagome thought, glancing and Thor and finding him completely oblivious. She snorted.

'_Typical_.'

In her distraction, she missed when one of the 'Warriors Three' slid into place and grabbed one of her hands, bringing to his mouth and placing several tiny kisses on it.

"A true beauty you are, My Lady. I am Fandral the Dashing. Mayhap I might entice you to accompany me on a jaunt in the gardens this evening?"

His eyes shined and held a magnitude of suggestion and Kagome blushed before irritation filled her and made her scowl.

She yanked her hand away and crossed her arms.

"If you want to keep that hand attached to your arm then keep it _to yourself _and _off_ of me, got it?"

Thor stepped in front of her with his own scowl while Hogan, Volstagg and Sif laughed and jeered at Fandral for 'losing his touch.'

"Did you miss the part where I called her _sister_?" Thor seethed and Fandral scratched at the back of his head and tried to look sheepish.

"Oh, I like this one." Sif gave her a look of approval, and Kagome took a moment to remember Sango, her best friend and sister who had also been a strong warrior woman. She hoped she'd find a friend in Sif, too one day.

"Yes well. I brought Kagome here to impress her with our strength, not have her harassed! So pick up a weapon Fandral, you and I shall spar first!"

He groaned to a chorus of laughter at his expense and made his way to a large, clear space. If Thor was going to wipe the floor with him, he'd rather not be slammed against anything else in the process.

Kagome stood off the side quietly while a crowd gathered to watch the crown prince of Asgard prove once again who was at the top of the line in strength and combat. It appeared the whole training arena had abandoned their places to come and watch. It was entertaining enough, she supposed. Thor certainly had skill, and more than enough charisma and enthusiasm to make it seem like a real show instead of just a friendly fight among long time comrades. But traveling so many years with Inuyasha and then Koga as well had left her more than unimpressed by shows of brute strength. Her eyes began to wander, landing on the large opening to the target yard where something caught her attention.

Puffs of green, shimmering smoke appeared rhythmically just to the left and she wondered if it could mean that someone had chosen not to come crowd Thor and the spectacle he was creating. She glanced back and noticed he was ushering a challenge to someone else now, oblivious to her on the outer fringes of the crowd.

She backed away slowly and made a dash for the door, intent on solving her new little mystery.

_A.N: this story will have threads from MCU and Comic Canon all woven together with a few strands of real life myth and some of my own "artistic license." Keep that in mind of something comes up that's not strictly MCU. _


	8. Chapter7

Peeking around the door way, Kagome was shocked to see that the source of the shimmering green sparks was Loki.

With each puff of green smoke, a dagger appeared in each of his hands. He threw them with undeniable skill and grace, and they each sank into the center of his target with a solid thunk. Then they'd vanish from the target, reappearing in his hands with a puff of that green, sparkling smoke.

Kagome watched mesmerized for several minutes, ignoring the whoops and shouts from the crowd gathered to watch Thor wipe the floor with whatever new opponent had stepped up to replace the last.

It was obvious that Loki hadn't noticed her presence. He appeared lost in his movements. He'd spin, throw them with his back turned, flip them high in the air and catch them before sending them on their way. His movements were artful but deadly and she simply couldn't look away.

A nudge and a soft '_ahem_' at her elbow finally drew her attention away and to the servant who held out her bow for her.

"Here you are My Lady. My Lord and Prince Thor sent me to retrieve it for you."

"Thank you so much. Uh... that will be all."

She was still very uncomfortable with this whole servant thing, but she brushed it aside and stepped awkwardly out the door and placed herself in line with a target.

The 'thunks' of the knife blades stopped and she turned to meet Loki's blandly curious gaze.

She held up her bow and quiver with an uncomfortable chuckle.

"Heh... sorry. Hope I'm not intruding. I just haven't practiced since I got here and I can't let myself get rusty."

She blushed at her own rambling. He simply lifted a brow and then gave her the subtlest of nods, turning back to his target and manifesting his knives again.

She exhaled, shouldered her quiver, drew an arrow, and set her stance.

Midoriko had made her practice every day of their travels, and she'd progressed in her skill so far that she really would rival Kikyo now. She wondered if it would finally impress Inuyasha, but then she shook that thought away and let her arrow fly. It's own resounding 'thunk' as it hit the target dead center was deeply satisfying and she couldn't fight the proud grin that spread across her face. She grabbed another arrow and lined up shot after shot, creating a neat circle of evenly spaced arrows around her first bullseye. When she reached back and found no more arrows she sighed. Now she had to go get them, and the target she was using was far.

"Man, I wish I could could do that cool poofing thing with my arrows like you're doing with your daggers. That would sure come in handy right now."

She looked over at Loki, who'd glanced at her after she'd spoken. He looked down the practice yard at her arrows firmly embedded in the center of her target, met her eyes again, gave one of his fingers a brief twirl in the air, and turned back to his own target.

A puff of that green smoke blew a few strands of her hair forward and she shivered as she could suddenly feel thin tendrils of Loki's aura curl around her as the smoke and sparkles dispersed.

She looked back, noticed all of her arrows back home in there quiver, and felt impressed all over again.

"_Wow_! That's amazing!"

"Kid tricks," he replied, not so much as glancing back in her direction.

"Still, thanks so much!"

She took her shots again, this time taking aim at a few farther targets off to the sides.

When her quiver was once again empty, she turned to Loki and found him polishing the blade of one of his daggers, a tiny smirk on his face.

"I am _not_ doing that again."

She slumped and her face fell.

"Aw! Why not?"

"If I do it for _you _all have to do it for _every_ imbecilic archer and spear thrower who crowds this lawn."

"Well lucky you, I'm not an imbecile."

She ignored his cocked brow and plunged on, determined to convince him to help her.

"There's also no one else in here, they're all busy trying to fight Thor. One more time? I won't tell _anyone_."

He sighed and rolled his eyes, another puff of smoke sending sparks and the feeling of _him _to slide over her shoulders.

She shook it off and smiled brightly.

"Thanks! Your secret is safe with me, and that's the last time I'll be lazy, promise!"

"We'll see."

She turned to line up another shot when Thor jogged outside.

"Kagome! What are you doing out here? You're missing my moments of glory!"

She giggled and waved him off.

"Something tells me there will be _plenty _of those 'moments of glory' for me to see over the years. I uh..." she glanced back over at Loki who ignored them completely and made his way off of the practice lawn and back inside. She didn't want to tell Thor she hadn't watched him because she'd been watching his _brother_. She didn't want to seem like a creep. She held up her bow and quiver instead.

"I was practicing! I haven't even touched my bow since I arrived. I needed to get some practice shots in."

"Ah, these mysterious archery skills. Show me!"

They toiled away the rest of the morning, Kagome shooting at targets and Thor retrieving her arrows. Not as efficient as Loki's magic, but better than having to run after them herself.

"You _are_ quite skilled with this thing." Thor eyed her bow and them smirked. "Would you like to see something _really_ impressive?"

"Sure!"

He held his hand out to the side, palm open, and stood stock still. He continued to smirk down at her and Kagome eyeballed him speculatively, wondering if he hadn't been bashed in the head one too many times today.

A large hammer flew through the air and landed firmly in his grasp. He lifted it, allowing storm clouds to gather over him and calling a lighting bolt down. It struck the hammer and traveled partway up his arm. He turned and thrust the hammer out in front of him, sending the lighting out to blow up a distant target.

He relaxed his posture and turned back to her with a smug grin.

"Wow! That _was _cool!"

He crossed his arms and let the hammer dangle from his wrist by its strap.

"I know, I know. My mjolnir and I are most impressive."

Kagome stared down at the smoking target and had a wicked idea.

"I can do that."

Thor faltered, his preening at her praise stopping cold.

"You can... what?"

She pointed down at the charred target.

"_That. _I can do that. Watch."

She drew an arrow and picked another far away target. She lined up her shot, drew back her string, and for the first time since she'd arrived, she reached in and allowed the wellspring of her power to tip over and flow through her veins. It reached her fingertips and flared brightly around the arrow.

She released, her pink comet streaking through the air and landing on the target with a stunning explosion of pink light and glitter. Just like she'd said, the target was left smoking, bits of it littering the lawn several yards away.

With the jewel's fusing to her soul, the strength of her power had multiplied greatly, but with Midoriko's help she'd been able to hone it and control it. She'd never have been able to do that with the regular reiki she'd been born with. She should probably feel a little silly for showing off, but the jewel had taken everything from her for this, the least she could do was have fun with it.

And the gobsmacked look on Thor's face was certainly fun.

"Wha... you... _Wow_."

"Yeah, I'm pretty impressive." It was her turn to smirk and feel smug, but her pride dissolved into giggles when she noticed he was still staring slack jawed at the target she'd destroyed. She wondered how often he was that thrown off by a display of someone _else's _power.

"Wanna see me do it again?"

"No! No uh... we should report this to father. He will absolutely want to know about this. This is... you told me you were a priestess, but.."

"I'm a _warrior _priestess, Thor. Not just the blessing kind."

He looked at her as if seeing her for the first time, a new light of respect flickering in his eyes. She shifted, feeling a bit self conscious.

"You are surprising indeed, Priestess Kagome. I find myself glad to call you family and not enemy."

Happiness and affection bubbled up in her soul and chased away some of the darkness she still harbored. She was a long way from healed, but she felt like this was a place where that healing could really happen. Looking at the kind, handsome god determined to be her family, to be her _brother_, she wondered if fate hadn't left her quite so abandoned after all.

"Thank you." She meant it with every fiber of her being. "I'm glad we're family too."

Thor, looking immensely pleased that she'd accepted the place he'd decided she would occupy, took her arm and escorted her to lunch.

_A.N.: I don't know where in the world each of my readers live, but I hope you're all staying as safe and healthy as you are able in these crazy, unpredictable times. _


	9. Chapter8

_A.N.: here, have a 'we're all social distancing for the good of the world and it can be hard and scary' update. I live in the United States and we are currently dealing with The Great Toilet Paper Panic among other things. I hope you are all remaining safe and peaceful, I know times are weird, chaotic and stressful right now_

Standing back in the throne room, empty of all save the king and queen, their sons, and she herself, Kagome sighed a weary sigh and closed her eyes against an onslaught of memories.

Memories of her power falling short when she'd desperately grabbed for it; memories of erratic bursts of purity incinerating enemies out of her control; memories of foes nabbing her to use her abilities for their own purposes and needing to be rescued.

She'd grown a lot since those days. When the jewel fused irrevocably with her soul, stole her humanity, suffused her with its power to keep itself alive and protected for eternity, Midoriko, the only other person as intimately acquainted with it as she was, had trained her relentlessly on their travels through the spirit realms. She had a _much_ better grasp on her jewel bolstered reiki. She wasn't sure just what she was capable of; Midoriko had trained her as if she were an apprentice miko of unprecedented potential, which she supposed she had been. But there had been no telling where Kagome ended and the Jewel began, and though she'd lived and battled within the void inside, even Midoriko couldn't name the limits of the Shikon no Tama's ability, so beyond miko training, there had been nothing else.

She hoped desperately that her new protecters, her new _family_ if Thor got his stubborn way and her foolish heart hoped he did, wouldn't now try to harness her for selfish purposes as so many had before.

It still hurt to think of how many times she'd been reduced to The Shard Seer and she wasn't sure she'd be able to bear once again being boiled down to _what _she could do for them, versus who she was. If they accepted all of her, she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she'd dedicate all of her strength to protecting them and her new home. She only hoped she'd be given the choice. So much of her life had been left up to the whims and wishes of fickle fate. All she wanted was a _choice._

"So girl, my son tells me you are quite a bit more than you appear to be."

Thor winced. That was not exactly how he'd worded things.

Kagome blinked, unsure how to respond. It wasn't exactly a question.

"Uh... yes sir- _your majesty_. Yes, your majesty."

Frigga lifted a hand and covered a dainty giggle, smiling down at her from the throne dias with kind, gentle eyes. It soothed the fraying edges of Kagome's nerves.

"I see. We were not made aware upon your arrival that you were capable of anything beyond housing this supposedly dangerous bauble. Tell me, girl, what is the nature of your power?"

"I'm a warrior priestess. My power targets darkness and allows me to decipher the intentions of others."

Oden stroked his chin, considering her shrewdly for a moment. Kagome glanced at the others. Frigga still looked on her with that sweet, motherly grin; Thor stood impassively, stance wide and arms crossed, but his aura flickered with worry and nerves; Loki looked bored out of his mind but she could catch the faint wisps of curiosity coming from him, too. All in all, she wasn't sure how comforted she was.

"Alright girl, let's see it."

Kagome blinked again, turning her eyes back to Oden abruptly.

"...it?"

"Yes yes, this power of yours. Let's have a demonstration."

"Uh..." she looked around helplessly, mentally flailing for an idea or a target or maybe even just a quick escape. But these people were _gods_. They'd be on her before she made it to the other side of the room.

"It's alright dear." Frigga's clear voice cut through her panic. "Can you simply call your power to the surface? We would just like to see it to determine its inherent qualities."

Her heart had trusted Frigga from the start and so she trusted it now and latched onto her words, settling the hammering tempo in her chest and allowing her lungs to drag in a clarifying breath. She exhaled and nodded.

Bringing her hands out in front of her, she cupped them and allowed a small, shimmering pink flame to ignite in each palm. She closed her eyes and looked within herself, finding that inner well of purity and channeled it up through her veins out into her fingers, stoking the little flames higher until she was consumed up to her elbows. Her hair began floating up at the tips and pink sparks swirled around her and disturbed the hems of her dress. Her eyes opened, glowing white hot and otherworldly, shocking her onlookers.

Sweet and lovely and kind and tired, Kagome gave no outward clues that she housed such fire within her. It was a fortunate surprise for all of them. For Kagome, since they certainly didn't have any intentions of forcing her hand in any way. And for them, since there were several pantheons who _would have _used her against all of them had they chose to keep her and discovered her little secret. It was a narrow miss for both parties.

Frigga stepped down and approached Kagome, gently taking her hands, still aflame in the glimmering fires of her reiki, and calling out to her softly.

"Kagome dear, it is enough. Thank you for your cooperation, we have learned much from you this day."

Like a swift breath to a lit candle, Kagome snuffed her powers out and returned to her ordinary appearance, meeting Frigga's eyes and hoping against hope that nothing had changed.

"You're welcome."

"I think there are some things you are missing. Would you allow me to train you?"

"You? But I don't sense any reiki from you, your highness-"

"Frigga is fine for now, darling. And while I may not posses that power which you inherited from birth, I can sense something _else_ in you, something I am more than capable of teaching you to manipulate and control."

Kagome get her heart shudder.

"Am I... going to be made into a weapon now?"

"Certainly not! You have no need to worry over any such thing. However, it is unwise to leave power such as yours unchecked and untrained, so you will begin meeting with me in my private gardens every afternoon."

No falsity tainted her aura, no deceit or greed or duplicity. Sincerity, affection, concern and serene confidence radiated out and surrounded Kagome, calming the storm that had been raging in her own aura. Perhaps fate had finally thrown her a bone and left her in a place she would really be safe, really be allowed to just be. She tried to push away the hope but her silly heart loved nothing more than to latch onto any scrap of hope.

"Alright. I can do that."

"Very good. We will start tomorrow. You may go rest now."

She turned and headed from the throne room, intent on collapsing into her sheets and remaining there for the next several hours. She rubbed her eyes which felt swollen and gritty.

It seemed she still hadn't grow used to the soul draining affects of an emotional upheaval.

Perhaps she'd wash it all away in the bath first and pretend she was back home, her mother puttering around the kitchen and making her a soothing cup of tea to cleanse her soul after she'd cleansed her skin in hot water.

Her breath caught in her throat, but nonetheless she changed her course for the bathing room.

————————————————————-

Loki stared pensively at the spot that the self proclaimed priestess had just vacated, drowning out the chatter of his family.

'_That human girl is **that** powerful? How is that possible? Humans are weak, unremarkable creatures_.'

And he wondered for a moment how much his mother would be able to do for her, and how her abilities would change over time with the proper training.

Bits of the conversation to his side filtered in.

"Certainly no one can know how promising she is. We'd have every realm storming our gates for the girl."

"Her name is _Kagome_, father. But I agree, she doesn't deserve to be paraded about like some prized piece of weaponry, nor should she be kept locked away like the other trinkets you guard in your basement. She needs a family. Loki and I can-"

Loki snorted at that. Thor could attach himself to her all he liked, so could his soft hearted mother. But they would certainly not expect anything from him.

"No. I want no part of this."

"But Brother, we must-"

"Do what you like with her, Thor, but I have no interest in spending my time building "family bonds" with human beings. It is a waste. She'll be dead and gone in a blink."

"She's immortal, were you not listening the night she came to us?"

Loki looked condescendingly at his brother, a sarcastic twist to his mouth.

"Immortal. _Really_. A human. Such a thing is not possible, not for them. They weren't built for such a thing. Do as you all please, but don't expect me to go out of my way to accommodate her."

He stepped down and walked resolutely across the room and out the door, letting it shut firmly behind him with all of his finality.

He would not be cruel or mean or rude, he had much better manners than that. But he wouldn't be overly friendly either, and that was simply all there was to it.

He glanced out the nearest window and took note of the light of day.

There was just enough time before the next meal to get up to a bit of mischief. He smirked and stalked off, an exact replica of himself walking innocently away in the opposite direction.


	10. Chapter9

Kagome peeked around the doorway into Frigga's personal rooms. She was supposed to meet her in her private garden today for training, but being in the family wing was uncomfortable. She wasn't sure _how_ she was going to feel alright sleeping in this part of the palace when her room was done. She hadn't even known how to get here without her handmaid Dala's help. She was still getting used to _that _situation as well, having a personal maid. But Dala was sweet and helpful and she could see her becoming a good friend.

She saw no trace of Lady Frigga in the sitting room, so she reluctantly entered and glanced around awkwardly, gawking at the finery. It wasn't ostentatious by any means, it was a tastefully decorated room; but it was obviously lush. She felt so out of place. It reminded her of the short time they'd spent In Sesshomaru's shiro to have a "council of war" of sorts after they'd joined forces. Inuyasha has bristled with tension and grumped the whole stay, and she'd had to stop herself from wondering around gawping at every last inch of the place. Sesshomaru was already irritated that they had to be there "stinking up the clean air of his home," so she hadn't wanted to be a bother by being... everywhere. She was also pretty sure she would've ended up lost.

Kagome shook off those memories and lowered herself slowly, slowly, slowly onto the edge of an expensive looking settee, spine ramrod straight and hands balled up in tight fists in her lap. She was certain that if she so much as breathed in the wrong direction she'd ruin everything in the room. She fidgeted, twisting the loose fabric of her skirt in her fingers and bouncing her toes as she waited anxiously for Frigga to arrive, but after a seeming eternity the proverbial lightbulb flashed on in her mind and she wanted to smack herself for being so stupid.

"Duh. I bet she wants me to find her."

With ease she stretched her reiki out in shallow waves until she felt the sweet, motherly _ping_ of Frigga's aura just a few feet away. She followed it out of the sitting room and through what she could only guess was the queen's dressing room until she found herself in a vibrant, verdant garden. Rivaling even those of the Western castle which had been stuffed to bursting with all species of flowering plant for Sesshomaru's ward Rin, Kagome could not believe she was still in any real world.

"Oh... this looks like a fairy land!"

A light chuckle caught her attention and she found Frigga sitting on a polished stone bench surrounded by bushes blooming with a flower she'd never seen before, a foreign bug with many silver wings flirting with the silky petals.

_'I didn't even think that the plants and animals here might be different.' _She was suddenly curious about that, but Frigga brought her attention back to the matter at hand.

"Hello Kagome. Thank you for meeting with me here today, I hope it wasn't a bother."

"Of course not! It's not like I have a busy schedule or anything."

Kagome never imagined that a chuckle could be elegant, but that's exactly the way she would describe the sound Frigga made before lightly patting the empty spot in the stone bench beside her.

"Well, come have a seat and let's get started, shall we? Now then, I think for now I'd like to see you manifest this power of yours and let me get a good look at it. Do you mind?"

"Not at all!"

Kagome brought her hands up and cupped them in front of her, allowing the purity of her reiki to flicker like little flames in her palms.

Frigga eyed the dancing pink swirls of energy closely, taking note of every eddy and spark of magic. She reached out and stuck her fingertips in the glow, feeling how it tingled across her skin as it reacted to her own innate magics. The little flames licked up and down her fingers, tickling but not harming. It felt like it was saying hello.

"Extraordinary."

"Uh... I guess."

"What can you do with it?"

"I can purify darkness, expel evil auras, cast protective barriers... there's lots more I should be capable of, but I wasn't trained from birth like most with these powers are."

"I see. Can you summon a weapon? Hide your form? Duplicate yourself?"

"Duplicate myself? Hide my form? Oh no, Miko aren't capable of that. Those are kitsune tricks."

"Kitsune?"

"They are very intelligent foxes. Shapeshifters and tricksters."

"Ah, sounds like a creature I could get along with. Well then, show me what you know, and we can build from there."

"Um, okay well... I don't have my bow and arrows on me right now, and I don't feel any evil nearby that I could purify... but I could show you my barrier!"

Quick as a wink, Kagome summoned a transparent pink barrier around the both of them. One of the silver winged insects bumped against it before flying off. Frigga looked on in awe, reaching her hand out to rest against the solid surface of the small barrier holding them inside.

"It is like a shell. Can it be pierced?"

"Not by many things, not if I concentrate. It would take a lot of power."

Frigga narrowed her eyes, running her hand across the pink, shimmering surface.

"Concentrate then, I'm going to try."

Kagome nodded and closed her eyes, centering herself and pouring more reiki into her barrier.

"Alright. You're probably more than powerful enough though. You _are _a goddess, after all."

"Don't sell yourself so short, my dear. Now, prepare yourself."

Kagome felt a surge of magic swell against her barrier and begin poking at it, looking for cracks or holes. She sent another wave of reiki into in, fortifying it further against Frigga's soft prodding. A swift, strong thud against the solid wall shook her, making her gasp at the unexpected attack. But she held fast as Frigga continued to use her magic to pound against the barrier with ever increasing strength. She began to sweat, the effort needed to hold the barrier together taking more and more concentration. She'd reached the end of her training in this regard, as she could no longer strengthen the barrier and concentrate on holding it up at the same time. Frigga continued her attempts to shatter it and finally, after considerable effort on her part, a fissure formed and spread across its entire surface before it evaporated in a rein of sparks.

Kagome gasped and panted, wiping the sweat off her brow. Frigga turned to her and grabbed her hand.

"I'm so sorry dear, I had no idea this would tire you so. But you, my dear girl, are much, much stronger than you imagine. It took a reat deal more power than I anticipated to break through your shield."

Kagome gazed up at her in surprise.

"Really?"

"Yes. You must learn to have more confidence in yourself. I think it's time to call this lesson to an end, though I believe it was more a lesson for me, than for you. You need to rest now, we'll continue on tomorrow. For now, Dalla will show you to your new room! It has been cleaned and furnished but we will make time to decorate it to your personal specifications later."

"Oh, that's not-"

"Nonsense. Now go wash up for supper!"

Frigga shooed her out the door and into Dalla's care. She shrugged and linked her arms with her in a friendly gensture which Dalla tried to demure from. But if Kagome was going to be comfortable with this arrangement, she couldn't keep any air of superiority over the girl.

"This way, lady Kagome. Your new room is ready, and it's lovely!"

"Lead the way!"

——————————————

She supposed "lovely" was one way to describe her new room in the family wing.

Another might be _way, way too much!_

She felt awkward all over again.

"What wrong, Lady Kagome?"

Kagome looked over at Dalla and read the concern all over her face.

"Nothing. Just wondering how to get comfortable with this."

"Is it not to your tastes? I'm certain Lady Frigga would be amenable to changing-"

"Oh no, it's not that! I just haven't been here that long and they've already got me in the family wing in a super fancy room. It's just.. hard to take it all in without feeling like I'm taking too much from them.

"But you aren't taking it, Lady Kagome. They are giving it."

"I'm not sure how that's any different, Dalla."

"Have you made any demands of them?"

"Certainly not, I would never!"

Dalla chuckled at her and began pulling back the curtain to the very large window on one of her walls.

"Then you haven't taken anything. You've simply received."

With a soft gasp, Kagome considered that for a moment before smiling radiantly and grabbing her handmaid in a crushing embrace.

"Ive never thought of it like that before. Dalla, you're a genius!"

Dalla blushed and softly hugged her back.

"I'm happy to help, my Lady."

"Where's the bath around here?"

"Your personal bathing room is through that doorway."

"I have a personal bathing room?!"

"Yes, and fully stocked with bathing supplies."

Eyes wide and starry, Kagome thought she must be dreaming when she looked at the huge store of soaps and oils in her own personal bathroom. It was the kind of luxury she thought she'd never have again.

"Dalla, lets have a spa day!"

"Uh... a what, my lady?"

Kagome giggled and pulled her into the bathroom, set on having a relaxing girl's day for the first time in a long time.

"Oh, you'll see!"


	11. Chapter10

_Three Weeks Later..._

Kagome gazed at her reflection in the mirror of her vanity where she sat still, scarcely breathing, as Frigga twisted and pinned her hair up in an elaborate Asgardian updo. The faceted beads on her dress twinkled in the light from her window and she traced the embroidery pattern with the tips of her fingers across her neckline.

She met Frigga's eyes in the mirror and returned her smile of reassurance, though it was only a vague comfort.

Tonight was the Feast of Tales, her first official foray into the cultural ceremonies of Asgardian Royalty.

And she was nervous as hell.

Frigga chuckled and decided to take her mind off things for a bit. She scattered several pins across the vanity table top.

"Place a barrier around each of those pins, please."

Kagome latched on to the opportunity to be distracted and began concentrating on something other than her fear of tripping and falling on her face in front of everyone tonight.

She took steady breaths and cleared her mind, centering all her thoughts on the six tiny pins spread in front of her, erecting a tiny barrier around each one, one at a time.

This had been the first thing Frigga had wanted to work on during their training sessions. One big barrier could certainly be useful, but when you're allies were scattered all across a field it would be invaluable to be able to place more than one.

Several very small ones had been as far as she'd been able to go, but they were working on scaling them up as they went along.

"Very good. Again, and this time, try to do them in pairs."

The goal, she knew, was erecting several barriers all at the same time, and she was determined to sharpen her skill and focus far enough to be able to do such a thing.

She dropped the little barriers and tried again, managing to encase two little pins at the same time on their own separate barriers. It was the first time she'd managed to do even that many at once.

She beamed up at Frigga who gave her cheek a pat.

"Very well done my darling. You've come such a long way already!"

"It's all thanks to you. When I came here I didn't expect to find anyone who would be able to help me train with my Miko powers. I thought I'd gone as far as I'd ever be able without figuring stuff out on my own."

"Your abilities are much closer to magic than you realize. All inherent power can be strengthened with a magical touch. You just have to find someone who knows what they're doing."

"Are there any exercises you'd like me to do tonight?"

"No. You are to have the night off to enjoy the festivities to your heart's content."

Kagome's nerves erupted back to life and she began fiddling with the long, draping hem of her sleeve. Frigga untangled her fingers and held her hands gently.

"No more nerves, child. Tonight is all about fun and spectacle. Food, dancing, merrymaking... there's no reason to fear you will do anything wrong."

Kagome bit her lip, eyes dropping to the floor.

"I just don't want to disappoint you. I'd hate it if I made you all regret giving me a place here."

"Nonsense. You've been nothing but a joy to me. I hate to be forward and presume too much towards you in your current situation, but I feel this must be said. I never had a daughter of my own, Kagome, and it has been more than a delight to have you here."

Tears began to well in her eyes. Throwing all sense of propriety out the window, Kagome leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Frigga's waist and let herself feel like a lost little girl for just a moment.

"Thank you. That means so much. It really does."

Going back to her task, Frigga resumed her twisting and pinning, pleased to have helped lighten Kagome's heart even a small measure.

"And I know Thor has also enjoyed having you with us."

She smiled at the thought of her sweet but stubborn 'brother.' He'd been determined since she'd arrived that she would be his family, and after these several weeks she could admit that he'd nearly completely wormed his way into her heart.

_'I've had a couple fairly determined suitors in my life, but never a determined brother.'_

She chuckled to herself before thoughts of brothers turned her mood just a little darker.

She thought of Loki, Thor's brother, and his distant way of dealing with her.

He was never rude any time she spoke to him, but he never addressed _her _for anything more than a polite greeting.

She wondered if she'd done something to offend him without knowing.

"Yes, Thor has been a very good friend to me. Even a brother now. He was determined enough to be. But I don't think Loki likes me very much."

Frigga finished smoothing down the stray ringlets that draped freely down her back and straightened the folds of fabric at her shoulders.

"Never you mind about Loki. He doesn't dislike you, but he his choosy about where he places his loyalty and affection. As the God of Lies, he can be difficult to read, if you don't know him. But I _do_ know him and rest assured, he feels no animosity towards you."

"So I haven't offended him?"

"Oh heavens no, why would you think that?"

"I don't know, I just thought that maybe I might have broken some Asgardian social rule I didn't know about and upset him. I wanted to make it up to him if I had."

Frigga smiled sweetly and helped her stand, walking her to her door.

"You have a gentle heart. It pleases me to know your trials have not hardened you. Now, let's go. We have a party to get too!"

———————————————

Frigga led her to the entrance door where Loki, Thor and Odin already waited. She separated from Kagome and joined her husband, leaving Kagome to approach Thor and Loki on her own. She gawked openly at them. She'd never seen them in all their princely glory and she was completely floored.

Gleaming metal and polished leather and shining silk and _capes_. They had capes! And helmets!

Thor's was certainly cool enough with silver wings covering his ears, but _Loki's_ was in another realm of impressive. Looming gold horns swooped up from his forehead, arching in the light and nearly glowing.

He looked every inch the god.

"WOW! You look awesome! _Love_ the horns!"

He looked surprised for a moment, but gave her a polite nod.

"Thank you."

Thor pouted.

"What!? What about me? If _he_ looks awesome then surely I am too great even for words!"

Kagome giggled, his childish jealousy at a simple compliment to his brother just too silly.

"Sure, you have a nice helmet too, Thor, but _he's_ got giant gold horns!"

Thor sputtered in denial while Loki smirked in triumph.

"Allow me to escort you inside, Lady Kagome."

He offered her his arm with a smugness that normally would have annoyed her, but he hadn't addressed her this blatantly in all her weeks here. In a daze of amazement she wrapped her hand around his elbow and turned to face the opened doors.

In her shock and happiness at making some headway with the mysterious second prince of Asgard, Kagome forgot to feel nervous.

_A.N.: the Feast Of Tales is totally and completely made up by ME. I didn't want to base all of their holidays/celebrations/feasts/etc. on Norse ones cuz I figure, in this particular fic, Norse culture would be inspired by Asgardian culture to a degree, but There would be many aspects of Asgardian culture and history humans had no knowledge of. So I made this little holiday up. You'll see the rest of it next chapter! It's really fun! _


	12. Chapter11

_A.N.: The update schedule of this fic is the ONLY reason I'm even keeping up with the days. Quarantine has made my brain into mush. Anyway, as I stated at the end of the last chapter, the celebration they're having in this chapter is one I've made up myself. I thought about trying to find an ancient Norse holiday to use, but I figure that, in this little fic universe of mine, Norse culture would be inspired by bits of what they could pick up from Asgardian Culture, Asgardian culture would be its own and would have holidays and ceremonies that were unknown on earth. I also wanted to tie in the bit of comic book lore that has Loki be the God of Stories as well as lies and mischief. That's where the idea for this feast came from. So roll with it, it's fun, I promise. _

Chapter 11

The doors opened. The King and Queen of Asgard entered the banquet hall first to an eruption of cheers and shouts of adoration. Thor went in next, raising Mjolnir above his head to uproarious applause. And then Loki was tugging her forward, her heart rate picking up and thumping rapidly in time to the drums being played by the musicians off to the side.

The room glittered and glowed. Flowers, candles, torches and some magical source of light shimmering above them made the evening festivities bright and warm. Swaths of sheer silk draped artfully down the walls from the ceilings and framed tables covered end to end with dishes and platters of rich, delectable food. There was a small but ornate stage at the far end, with smaller thrones than those in the throne room for the king and queen to sit, and a central raised platform wide enough for one or two people flanked by tall candleabras with unlit candles.

Every inch of it was absolutely breathtaking, but it only served to distract her from the teeming crowds for a moment. The sheer number of people present and lining each side of the hall overwhelmed her. Panic began to rise in her throat to choke her.

Loki brought his other hand up to cover her fingers that now gripped his arm in a near stranglehold. Kagome whipped her head around to meet his eyes. She'd rarely looked in them for long. Their bright, unique green, flickering with mischief and mystery usually ensnared her in an embarrassing trap, but this time it was their gentleness that caught her.

"Just breathe."

She nodded and smiled tentatively, taking a deep, cleansing breathe.

A ghost of a smile-not a smirk, she noted- flirted with the corners of his mouth, and then he turned his attention back out to the crowds, flashing a big, bright showman's grin.

Kagome firmed her resolve, squared her shoulders, and looked back out with a confidence she didn't quite feel. But if she could save the earth from a murderous spider with a god complex, she could get through a fancy royal party in one piece.

Loki led her all the way up to the small dais. She tried to tug away, but he simply firmed his grip on her hand as he took his place next to his mother.

Thor had settled on the other side. As the heir to the asgardian throne, his place was on his father's other side.

But her place, Kagome was certain, was out in the crowd. She'd had no intention of standing up with the family at the head of the room. She kept trying to pull free so she could slip away, but Loki was much, _much_ stronger than he looked.

"If you keep wiggling like that, you're only going to draw more attention."

The amusement in his voice was unmistakable, but his now stoic expression gave none of that away.

She stood upright and tried to look like she belonged.

Because really, she did. Thor and Frigga had gone out of their way to assure her of her place here. She took another breath and allowed her tension to melt away.

"Better."

She thought briefly about sticking her tongue out at him, but decided against it in favor of appearing at least partially mature and regal next to the l_iteral gods_ who'd adopted her.

Odin stepped forward and the crowd hushed as he addressed them.

"It is time again for our traditional Feast of Tales. Let the merrymaking begin!"

Loki's hand, which had previously been imprisoning her own hand in the crook of his arm, released its vice grip. She let go and he stepped back, giving her a polite bow.

"And now you may go."

"Uh.. th-thanks for that. I'm not really used to... this kind of thing."

She gestured around vaguely and her eyes widened in shock when he chuckled at her.

"Apparently not."

Her jaw dropped. His face had softened in his amusement and his emerald eyes twinkled and _damn_ if he wasn't the prettiest and most confusing person she'd ever met.

She shook herself and decided that now was the time to make a run for it.

"A-anyway. I should be going. I'll be with the food, if anyone needs me."

She scurried off, ducking her head and avoiding his bemused gaze. She made a quick dash for the food table where Thor was already two giant legs in to some gargantuan roasted bird. He held one up and gestured for her to join him. She peeked back over her shoulder.

The shimmering light reflected off Loki's golden horns as he bent to receive a hug from Frigga, a sweet smile on his face as she patted his cheeks and hands.

Blushing and ready to be done with the confusing God of Mischief for the night, Kagome hurried the rest of the way to the blessed distraction of delicious food.

———————————————————

Several hours into the feasting and dancing and music, the banquet hall hushed as Loki, wielding a tall scepter capped with blue flame, ascended the stairs of the dais and turned to look out on the crowd before taking a seat in Odin's throne.

"Oh goody! It's time for the main attraction!"

Thor looked positively giddy, quickly downing the last of his wine and leaning back against the wall with his arms crossed.

"Main attraction? What do you mean?"

She jumped as Loki loudly banged the end of his scepter against the floor three times. The flame flickering happily around the top snuffed out, leaving behind a large, faceted gem. All eyes were drawn to the center platform as the candles surrounding it ignited with that same azure fire.

Thor leaned down to whisper in her ear so as not to draw any attention away from whatever ritual was currently taking place.

"Loki is not only the god of Mischief and Lies. He is also the God of Stories. As this is the Feast of Tales, he plays an important part in tonight's proceedings."

Her eyes widened as she turned back to the front where Loki sat on the gleaming, gilded throne, looking every inch the powerful royal that he was. He lifted his scepter and his eyes scanned the crowd twice over.

"What's he doing?"

"He's choosing tonight's Story Teller."

"But so many have already told stories tonight."

On and off through night people in groups of one up to five or six had crowded that center platform to tell drunken, raucous tales of war and glory.

"Yes, But this is _the _Story. The Story of the Feast. Every year he chooses someone new to try to tell a tale so spellbinding, of such valor, victory and strength that we're all left longing for the spoils of war. Then he judges the tale, and if he deems it the greatest tale ever told, then all future tales will be judged against that one. We haven't had a new winner in centuries."

"Who was the last winner." She asked, positively spellbound at the idea of a grand party just for story telling.

Thor glanced down at her with a cheeky smirk.

"Mother."

Kagome quickly covered her mouth to silence her delighted laughter.

_Of course_.

His mother had been the last winner, and he wouldn't pick anyone else to take her place.

This whole thing was delightful.

The crowd erupted as a storyteller was chosen and he took his place on the platform and began nervously bumbling through his chosen story for the night. Odin versus the frost giants.

An exciting tale no doubt, but it was one that even she had heard more times than she could count in the mere weeks she'd been here.

'_The poor guy must not be a public speaker._'

Eventually, his story came to an end. He declared his king victor over all and the ice king Laufey and his kingdom humiliated into subjugation.

Loki's considering stare was dark and intense and the man on the platform fidgeted under his gaze.

Finally, Loki closed his eyes and shook his head.

Frigga remained undefeated for another year.

Cheers and jaunts went up and the feasting and drinking and dancing continued. Kagome swirled the wine in her glass and considered some of the things she'd just learned.

"Thor, does everyone who's chosen to be the story teller pick some battle story?"

He paused stuffing more food down his face and nodded.

"Nearly everyone, yes."

She glanced back over to Frigga and couldn't help but smile when she saw that Loki was twirling her across the floor.

"And what kind of story did your lady mother tell?"

"Mother? She told a love story."

Her brow furrowed at that little piece of information. She was unsure of what to do with it right now, but it certainly seemed significant.

"A love story?"

"Yes. She told of how her parents met."

She watched Loki bend down so his mother could give him a kiss on his cheek. He bowed low to her and she removed his gold helmet and ruffled his hair.

She let Odin lead her away, and Loki waited until she was completely out of sight before fixing his hair and replacing his helmet.

_'A love story amidst all those tales of bloodshed and woe.'_

She took a sip from her wine as her eyes narrowed in thought.

"Interesting."


	13. Chapter12

Chapter 12.

Kagome dragged her feet into breakfast the next morning with crusty eyes and a pounding headache. She'd sipped on all of one glass of Asgardian wine all night long, but apparently even that was too strong for her human body to handle.

'_That crap is even stronger than demon sake.'_

She probably looked as dreadful as she felt, and going on as little sleep as she'd had, she didn't have the energy to care.

She'd slipped on the softest, plainest dress she had and left her hair long and loose. Her throbbing skull would permit nothing more than that.

She blearily pushed open the dining room door and tumbled inside, the door's weight almost more than she could handle on her own in her exhaustion.

She was the first to arrive, so she found her usual seat and laid her head down on the table. All the curtains were drawn to let the morning light stream through, and no matter how hard she scrunched her eyes closed, she could not shield herself from the brightness of it.

She cracked one eye open and grabbed the nearest napkin, unfolding it and draping it across her head, making a dark little sanctuary to soothe the throbbing in her skull.

"I am never drinking Asgardian wine again."

A delicate snort answered her and she flinched. There wasn't supposed to be anyone around to hear that, but she'd tamped down her miko senses to give her poor head a break from all the extra stimulation while she recovered from a hangover she hadn't even gotten drunk for.

She peaked up, lifting the corner of her napkin tent to see who she'd just embarrassed herself in front of.

'_Loki. Of course. Brilliant.'_

She sat up and rubbed her temples while Loki delicately arranged himself in his seat with a cup of tea and a book. He didn't look at her, but he did, surprisingly, respond.

"That's what they all say."

She chuckled and filled her glass with the water pitcher and took a large, refreshing gulp.

"Yeah, you're probably right."

Leaning her face against her hand, Kagome glanced over at her only breakfast companion so far. He looked immaculate.

'_What a jerk. Doesn't even have the decency to look like he partied all night like the rest of us._'

The door slammed open and Thor glided in, hair disheveled but a beaming grin on his face.

"Good morning family!"

Kagome groaned and placed her forehead back on the table, the pain in her skull multiplying with Thor's brash enthusiasm.

"What's wrong Kagome?"

She mumbled something, her words stifled by the napkin she'd placed back over her head.

"She's recovering from last night's festivities, Thor. Do try not to be such a bother so early in the morning."

Loki's voice was dry and uninterested, and she would just bet he hadn't looked away from his open book for even a second.

"Oh shut up Loki, You're just jealous."

Loki rolled his eyes and turned back to his book.

Lifting her head back up, Kagome picked at a piece of bread.

"He was the star of the show last night, why would he be jealous?"

Kagome's brows rose at the sight of a subtle blush spreading over Thor's cheeks, and suddenly she thought she didn't want to know.

The soft _tink_ of a spoon stirring tea at her side started her attention away and Thor sighed in momentary relief.

Loki leaned against the table at her side, stirring the cup of tea delicately, a sly look on his face as he watched the liquid spin.

"Thor stubbornly believes that I am envious that every insipid female on this rock would give an arm to warm his bed for even one night. He doesn't understand or appreciate my preferences for quality over quantity."

It was her turn to blush, his green eyes glinting and dancing, secrets swirling with amusement and trapping her, holding her captive. She blinked to break the spell and he held the cup of tea out toward her.

"Here. Drink."

She stared dumbly at the cup for a moment before taking it from him, the warmth of it leaching into her finger tips.

"Uh. What is it?"

"Hangover cure."

She looked up at him again, realization settling in.

"You don't need it?"

He pushed away from the table and sauntered back to his seat on the other side and waving a dismissive hand.

"I'll live."

With a small grin, she took a sip. It was pleasantly warm, but bitter and slightly medicinal. Her nose scrunched up, but she took another sip and marveled that the pounding in her head was already receding.

"Thank you Loki, that's much better already. And also, _ew_ Thor, no one wants to here about your gross after party at the breakfast table."

Loki snorted again, and Thor flipped a rude gesture before digging in to the food platters the servants were laying out on the table. One of them informed them that lady Frigga would be taking breakfast in her rooms, and then they cleared out and left Kagome alone with the two princes.

She piled some food on her plate and glanced at the silent brothers. Thor was shoveling food in his mouth faster than he could swallow it, While Loki nibbled delicately on some sort of pastry.

They were so very different.

"So, I heard some interesting stories last night."

She glanced between them again but neither gave any indication that they'd heard her.

"It made me curious for some other stories I know, stories from Earth."

"Why would we know anything about human stories?" Loki asked with a bland look, but she caught the barest flicker of interest deep in his gaze. The God of Stories could not fight his nature.

"They're stories about you guys. I'm curious if they're based on anything true or not."

"Alright, ask your questions."

She beamed and sat up straighter, pushing her plate aside and folding her hands together in front of her. Her first questions were for Loki as he had some of the more interesting myths tied to his shapeshifting tendencies.

"Okay! So, do you have any children?"

Silence met her question, and Loki narrowed his eyes, taking in her eager posture warily.

"Why?"

"Well, it's just that legends on earth say you have several children, including a serpent, a giant wolf, and an eight legged horse. But you gave birth to horse."

"I _WHAT_?!"

Thor choked on his food, descending into hysterics in his seat next to her.

"I mean no offense, I'm just curious." she quickly reassured, but he looked thoroughly offended.

"I can assure you I've never given birth to anything much less a _horse_. I don't have any children. Honestly this is why I never went back to Earth."

Kagome giggled despite her best intentions to appease his wounded pride, but then she cut a glare at Thor, he was smacking the table, bent over and clutching his middle, barely able to breath as he laughed so hard Kagome thought he might just pass out.

She crossed her arms and huffed.

"I don't know what _you're _laughing so hard for, I haven't even said what they say about _you_ yet."

"Oh do tell," Loki purred and leaned forward, interest plain on his face. "This ought to be good."

Thor sat up straight and wiped the tears from his eyes, his laughter slowing to chuckles.

"Yes, it ought to be good indeed. Tell me little sister of the tales of strength and victory the tell of me on Earth."

She met his smug look square on, smiling innocently in a way that sent alarm bells off in his head.

"Okay. There's one story of a giant who stole Mjolnir from you. He wouldn't give it back unless a goddess named Freya was given to him as his wife. You disguised yourself as a bride to get it back from him. Loki helped you."

Thor's face fell and Loki threw his head back in laughter, face scrunched up in delight.

"That really happened! You're such an idiot Thor!"

Kagome couldn't hold back her own laughter anymore. That had always been one of her favorite myths and knowing it was true made it all the better. Especially now that she actually knew the god at the center of it all, and considered him family.

"How do they even know about that on Earth?"

"I told them of course."

"Loki you little-"

"I made a much prettier bridesmaid than you made a bride."

"Loki I swear I'll-"

"Mother had a portrait commissioned."

Kagome clappped her hands in excitement.

"No way!! Where is it?!"

"Don't you dare Loki!"

Loki looked straight into Thor's eyes and smirked, answering the challenge in his brother's warning.

"It's in the library. I'll show it to you."

"Yes!"

Thor stood abruptly, his chair falling to the ground behind him. Loki stood as well, his face lit with that mischievous glow that transformed him from poised and regal to boyish and chaotic. He laughed merrily as Thor chased him from the dining hall, and Kagome sat back with an indulgent smile at how homey it felt to witness them like this.

Not as princes of a shining palace, but as brothers misbehaving at the breakfast table.

She picked up one of the pastries like Loki had been eating and finished her morning meal.

——————————

Loki could feel Thor watching him from the doorway to the library storage where he rifled through old tomes and books and paintings for the portrait of Thor dressed in wedding finery. He glanced back at him and rolled his eyes.

Thor was pouting.

He may be stronger than anyone else on this planet but Loki was _faster- _and smarter in his opinion.

And was it his fault he was able to change into something very tiny and hide in hard to reach places and wait for Thor to fall into his traps? Was it his fault Thor fell for the same tricks over and over?

_'He has no sense of humor, honestly.'_

"You know, for someone who said they wanted no part in any of this, you sure are being nice to her."

Loki rolled his eyes again. Thor could be such a child sometimes.

"I said I wasn't going to concern myself with making her part of the family, but I never said I would be cruel to her. If she's going to be around for at least the length of a human lifespan I'll have to talk to her sooner or later."

"She's going to be around longer than that. I told you she's immortal."

"We'll see. Ah, here it is."

He held up the portrait he'd been looking for and dusted off the frame.

"I think I'll have this cleaned and displayed in the family sitting room. Excuse me."

He swept out the door, ignoring Thor's narrowed eyes and questioning gaze.


	14. Chapter13

_A.N.: just dropping this a few hours early cuz I'm bored. _

A warm breeze flirted with the ends of her hair and bent the grass to tickle at her toes, her slippers tossed aside in favor of feeling the cool of the dirt on her feet.

A small pile of freshly picked flowers rested at her side, and she carefully picked out one at a time to twist into the chain she was crafting.

The buzz of some insect and the chirp of some kind of bird made up a gentle background noise that settled softly in her soul.

The day was sparkling, the Asgardian sun shining brilliantly high above her head. Kagome inhaled deeply, breathing it all in along with the sweet smell of the air. She held it there, closing her eyes and relishing the feeling of contentment that suffused every part of her. She released it all on a quiet sigh, giggling under breath as Thor grumbled under his from his place nearby laying back in the grass.

She twisted another flower into her chain.

"Stop it Thor. It's been three days now. There's no need to still be so sour about it. It was a lovely painting!"

She smirked as he seemed to deflate into the ground, his ego larger than any she'd ever seen, and that was saying _a lot_ considering some of the people she knew.

Had known...

But those were thoughts for another day, when the world wasn't positively glittering with beauty and possibility.

"How can I not feel sour? You're supposed to be on _my _side, not _Loki's_."

She rolled her eyes at his petulance. If only all the pretty Asgardian girls vying for his attentions could see him like _this._

"I do _not _take sides between brothers. Too messy and personal."

He rolled over onto his side, propping his head up on one hand and picking at the grass with the other, a grumpy frown marring his handsome face.

"Well you could at _least_ like me better."

"Who says I don't?"

"You said he was _prettier _than me!"

She laughed outright, remembering that little scene in front of the absurd portrait Loki had dug out after her questions the morning after the Feast of Tales.

Thor dressed as a bride, broad shouldered and bearded and looking positively miserable, Loki a beaming, beautiful bridesmaid at his side. It was a sight to behold, that's for sure.

"He _was_ prettier. He can shape-shift intoa woman for goodness sake. You had a beard!"

He humphed and grumbled some more causing her another fit of giggles.

"I'm supposed to be your favorite."

"And you think Loki is my favorite? I don't remember asking _him _to escort me on a picnic lunch today!" She leaned over and placed the pretty garland she'd made around his neck, fluffing it just so and admiring how the sky colored blooms looked with his golden hair and blue eyes.

"There. Now _you're_ prettier."

He smiled softly up at her and she couldn't help her beaming grin.

He sat up and crossed his legs, leaning over and resting his elbow against one of his knees, chin on his hand, and considered her closely for a moment.

"You seem much more at peace today than you have since you arrived. I'm glad, it suits you."

"It's hard to be sad on a day like today. Look at this weather!" She fell back in the grass and stretched her arms wide, the sun warm on her face and the ground cool at her back. She'd holed up in that castle for too long. She'd missed being this close to nature.

This may not be the untouched feudal land she'd spent so long trekking through, but she was hard pressed to not fall completely in love with a world that could be so perfectly lovely.

"You'll never find a more beautiful place in all nine realms."

She hummed softly and breathed in the earthy scent of soil. Familiar and foreign, different but the same.

She could truly be happy here.

"Right now, I believe it."

"I hope you've begun to feel at home here."

She opened her eyes, regarding his face with a careful expression.

He had already become so dear to her, they all had, but especially he and Frigga with their sweet way of handling her like she'd always been a part of their family. She'd had no choice but to love them, to adopt them as surely as they'd adopted her.

She smiled, the truest smile she'd had since even before the final battle with Naraku.

"I do. I do feel at home here. You've all been so wonderful to me."

"You're family."

It was so matter of fact, the way he'd said it, like there he never been any other option, no other possibility at all. Like she'd been born to them the same as he had. Tears stung behind her eyes but she fought them off. There had been enough of those lately, she wouldn't mess up this day even with happy ones.

She sat up abruptly as she remembered one other purpose she'd had for coming out here.

"Oh! I nearly forgot! I want you to take me to meet Heimdal. I've been so busy hiding away as best I can inside the palace while I dealt with... well, everything... that I haven't had the chance to meet him yet and I feel very badly about that. Will you take me? I brought him lunch, too!"

"Of course!"

It was a bit far to walk, but with how blissful she felt being outdoors she didn't mind in the least. They strolled along, Kagome's hand placed in the crook of his elbow, and chatted of inconsequential things. They laughed and teased, and Kagome's heart soared ever higher at the feelings of family and belonging that had firmly embraced her today, chasing away all the lingering darkness that had taken root in a small, deeply buried corner of her heart.

When they reached the rainbow bridge, Kagome gaped in awe.

It's surface glinted and shimmered with a zillion facets of rainbow light, as if the bridge had been carved out of one huge diamond. It hummed with an immense, ancient energy that zipped through her the moment she took her first step onto its iridescent surface.

It was alarming, but not frightening. She felt anchored and a little exposed, like she was being seen to the deepest parts of her being.

The rest of the walk down the bridge was quiet as she took in the scenery. Everything from the bridge itself, the dark waters underneath them, and the glowing palace behind them took her breath away with their alien elegance.

The patch of garden she'd just left has been familiar enough, but from here, there was no denying she was in another world.

Heimdall stood before them all somber strength and gleaming gold armor. His posture was rigid, every muscle stone still as he guarded the entrance to the rainbow bridge and kept stock of all who entered and exited from this realm. His face didn't so much as twitch as they approached but she knew he saw them, knew he'd probably known who was coming before they'd even been in sight.

"Hello Heimdall!"

"Hello my Prince."

His voice was deep and powerful and a shiver ran down her spine. _He_ was powerful, he had to be to carry out his responsibilities as flawlessly as he had.

Only his eyes moved to look at her, the rest of him still as stone.

"Little princess, it is nice to finally meet the one who managed to sneak in past my sight. Few have been capable of doing so. And fewer of those live to tell the tale."

Her eyes widened and her cheeks darkened in embarrassment.

"S-Sorry about that. Um... I didn't mean-"

The corners of his mouth curled up into the barest of smirks and his eyes flashed briefly with mischief and secrets.

"I knew you were coming."

Thor tilted his head in confusion.

"You mean just now? Of course you did, I knew you would."

He gave her one more glance full of hidden knowledge and wisdom, calling to something inside her that hadn't been ready to be heard yet.

Heimdall's knowing gaze slid from her face and he blinked, all traces of anything but stony strength long gone.

"No. I wasn't talking about today."

Thor tilted his head in confusion, but Kagome felt her heart slow in dawning understanding. This hadn't been random. She hadn't been unseen and forgotten by fate, cast aside to drift outside of destiny. Someone had seen her, had known where she was meant to go. She still had a purpose, she still had a path.

"Welcome home little Princess. It is my honor to finally meet you."

'_Home_.'

All the parts of her soul, her own and all those locked in the jewel that had become part of her, chimed in agreement.

Bits of her that had remained listless and heavy settled down and integrated back into the whole of her being, and dark, faded parts brightened and glowed.

She beamed, and for the first time in too long, Kagome felt like herself.

Not the forgotten priestess. Not the pitied '_princess_'. Not the homeless wanderer desperate for any true shelter, any place to pretend to belong.

She was Kagome, Miko of unparalleled strength. She was strong, and she would not be defeated. She was alive, and she would thrive.

She was home, and she would not be lost again.


	15. Chapter14

_A.N: double update? Why not?_

_100 years later*. _

10 large, shimmering pink bubbles drifted through the air down the length of the stone garden path, each one holding a sizable stone. Sweat dripped down Kagome's forehead as she poured all of her concentration into these bubbles, willing them to stay whole and afloat until she reached her target: a woven basket placed at the end of the path for the stones to be dropped into.

So far, she'd managed up to 9, but ten was proving to be a bigger challenge than she'd anticipated.

Still, she was amazed that moving objects with her barriers had been possible in the first place. In her time here, Frigga had taught her all manner of things she'd never dreamed she'd be capable of. She didn't know of a single Miko in all of history who'd been able to do the things she'd learned to do. She wasn't sure if it was just untapped reiki potential or if the jewel had something to do with it, but either way she grew more and more pleased with how much control she'd gained and just how capable she was. The helpless girl she'd once been was long gone.

"You're doing splendidly dear!"

Frigga cheered her from the side of the path, but Kagome did her best to ignore her in favor of continued concentration. Her floating barriers were getting closer and closer to their goal, and if she could succeed this time, it would only be easier the next time.

"Incoming!"

At the sound of Frigga's voice, Kagome swiveled one hand straight out behind her, forming a flat, pink shield that shimmered like her barriers. The pebbles Frigga had sent her way plinked off its solid surface, sizzling as the swirling disk of purity charged each one on contact. She let it drop and pushed the bubbled stones ever further down the path.

Just a few yards shy of her goal, the garden gate creaked open and the voice of a servant called out.

"My queen, they have returned!"

Concentration effectively shattered, the bubbles popped and the stones thunked to the ground, but Kagome ignored them and spun around to meet Frigga's eyes excitedly.

"They're back!! Can I go?"

Frigga's eyes narrowed in contemplation.

"Yes, you may go. But first, I want to see the progress you've made with your skin barrier."

Kagome closed her eyes and summoned another barrier, this time around herself. She began drawing it in close to her body and willing it to form around her like a second skin. She opened her eyes at Frigga's hum of approval.

"I suppose there's not much to be done about all of the sparkling, or how pink it makes you look, but I'm pleased with the progress you've made. In no time you'll be able to summon it just this way without starting with a larger barrier first. Can you place one around me now?"

Kagome began to squirm, feeling antsy in her desire to rush out of the garden and greet her friends, but she did as Frigga asked and placed the smallest barrier she was able around her surrogate mother while maintaining the one she'd already placed around herself.

Frigga took a moment to inspect it and then smiled, satisfied with the work they'd done for the day.

"Alright. Very well done my girl. You may go."

The barriers popped with a flourish of sparks and Kagome hopped forward to give Frigga a kiss on the cheek.

"Yay! Thank you! I'll see you there!"

As she dashed off, Frigga smiled fondly after her before turning into her chamber to change out of training clothes to go meet her sons.

————————————-

She ran as fast as she could, ducking past servants and guards to avoid as much unnecessary bowing as possible. A century in this place and she was no closer to being comfortable with all of the formality afforded her than she had been at the start, and since she couldn't help but stop and politely address them every time, that would mean a lot of time wasted. Thor and Loki had been gone on an assignment for their father for days already, and it had been a big enough mission that they'd also taken Sif and the Warriors Three. Her lady's made Dala had become a dear friend to her as well, but she had been busy filling in for another maid who had been studying to move up to a higher position in the palace, so this last week without all of them had been excruciatingly boring. She couldn't wait for the day that Odin would allow her to go with them, which he'd promised was coming.

The entrance to the place came in to view crowded with the very people she'd been waiting for. She picked up her pace and raced headlong right for Thor who stood out in front of the group.

"You're back!!!" She cried out, throwing her arms back and leaping right into Thor's embrace. He spun her around and laughed loudly before setting her down so she could hug the others.

"I missed you guys so much! _Gods_ it was boring around here! I'm _so _glad you guys are- LOKI!"

Coming in several minutes behind the others, he'd walked right passed their little reunion on the way to his rooms. Good manners stopped him and he turned to face her. Kagome wanted to smack herself as he stared expectantly at her, waiting on her to say something.

"Um... I'm glad you all made it safely home!"

He cocked a confused brow for a moment before his face smoothed out into the usual polite mask he usually wore with her. Dipping forward into the barest of bows, he gave her a quiet thanks before straightening and walking away.

Kagome stared after him and wondered for the zillionth time what she could have done to offend him. He rarely spoke much more than that to her no matter nice she was. She couldn't think of anything she might have said or done to make him dislike her.

She heard Fandral snort. She turned to him with a glare.

"What's so funny?"

He smirked and shook his head fondly.

"You aren't even a little bit subtle."

Thoroughly confused, Kagome tilted her head and crossed her arms self consciously.

"What do you mean? Subtle about what?" Everyone, save Thor, glanced between each other knowingly. Fandral met her eyes again and shrugged.

"It's just you make it very obvious how you feel about him."

She stared blankly for several long seconds, his words trickling slowly in one at a time and delaying realization.

When it did come, she felt her face flame as Thor laughed out loud having come to the same conclusion at the same time.

"You.. you think I... oh no!"

She smacked both hands to her burning cheeks, dread and panic scorching through her. Thor continued to cackle, finding the whole thing just a little too funny.

"That's... _That's _why he hates me isn't it?! He thinks..he thinks I'm _Coming on to him!_ Oh no oh no. Thor! What am I going to _do_?!"

Tears streamed down his face and it made her want to smack him. He wiped at his eyes and tried to calm himself.

"Don't worry, that's not what he thinks. He would have told me about _that_."

She sagged in relief and turned a heated glare to a smirking Fandral.

"And I do _not _have any feelings like _that_ for Loki. I just, I don't know, feel like he doesn't like me all that much and it makes me nervous. I see him _all the time _and he rarely speaks to me. I worry I've unknowingly done something to anger him."

"Could've fooled me. Hello Loki I hope you're having a wonderful day! Oh Loki, you look wonderful in this lighting! Loki Darling let me run my fingers through your hair!" Fandral continued, voice high as he pranced around, mimicking Kagome's own voice.

She huffed and stomped, face burning brighter as everyone laughed at her.

"I do not sound like that and I do not have a crush on Loki! Ugh, why did I miss you jerks again?!"

Sif stepped forward and put an arm around her shoulder, leading her toward to the door.

"We're only teasing Kagome. You do act strangely around him, but enough of that. You're overdo for a training session!"

"Thank goodness. I need to hit something now." She cut another glare at Fandral over her shoulder. He fluttered his lashes and waved, not the least bit sorry or shamed.

———————

Kagome cornered Thor in the training room after her lesson with Sif, certain things still weighing on her mind and driving her to distraction.

"Thor... are you _sure_ Loki doesn't think I've been... flirting with him?"

Thor smiled reassuringly. He didnt know if it was because she was human, or because she was a woman, but he didn't always understand why she got hung up on one thing or another, and being hung up on what Loki thought about her made less sense than just about anything else she'd ever felt, but he had grown to understand when she simply needed comfort so she didn't spiral into her nerves.

"Yes. Loki can talk circles around almost anyone but he's very straight forward about unwanted attentions of _that_ nature. He's polite of course, but straightforward nonetheless."

She sighed and nodded to herself, seemingly ready to accept it this time, but a touch of trepidation still touched her features.

"So, if it's not that, then what have I done to upset him? It must have been something. I've been here, what, a whole century now? And we've never moved past being polite but distant acquaintances and it's kind of awkward since we essentially live down the same hallway. It's not like I want to be as close to him as I am with you but even very casual friendship would be better than... whatever this is. And I hate to think I've accidentally hurt his feelings. I want to be able to apologize."

Thor eyes her for a moment, wondering what he should and shouldn't tell her. Kagome was much much stronger than many wanted to give her credit for considering her humanity, but she was also one of the most tender hearted people he knew. Loki was stingy with his loyalty. He didn't give it freely but the few people who had it had it absolutely. _He_ understood why Loki had stayed reserved and formal with Kagome. If she was truly going to be as briefly lived as most humans, then friendship and camaraderie were wasted. He didn't feel the same way as his brother but he didn't fault him. It was just a matter of whether or not Kagome would feel slighted, he never wanted to hurt the sister of his heart.

"Don't worry Kagome, you've done nothing to offend."

"Then what is it? You can tell me, I can handle the truth."

Thor sighed and decided she was right, she could handle it. Tender hearted she may be, but she was also a grown woman who deserved the truth.

"Alright, I'll tell you, and I'm sorry if it upsets you. When you first arrived and demonstrated your power, we decided to adopt you into the family and keep you as close as possible for your protection- and ours. News of such a powerful potential weapon could bring war to our shores and we wanted to avoid that. Mother and I loved you already, so nothing changed for us. Father wasn't against it either, but Loki... Loki didn't believe you were truly immortal and made it very clear he had no desire to forge any lasting bonds with you when your life would be so brief. He promised not to be cruel, but he wouldn't be overly welcoming either. I must say he's held up his end of the deal well, he's done exactly as he said. As the god of lies, Loki always knows when others are duplicitous, he doesn't trust or give his loyalty easily. He'd be even less inclined toward someone who would exist for a mere blink of his own existence."

To his shock, Kagome laughed.

"Is that all it is? How silly. I'm already _much_ longer lived than almost every other human. If I weren't immortal, I'd look ancient or just be dead by now!"

Relived that her spirits had been lightened instead of crushed, Thor smiled, amused at her rapid turn of emotions.

"Truly?"

"Truly! This means we can be friends after all! Thanks Thor!"

He watched her turn and skip merrily out of the training hall. He had a feeling Kagome would be turning Loki's world completely on its head, and he couldn't wait to get a front row seat to the show.

———————-

Dinner was a painfully awkward affair, at least Kagome thought so.

Thor rambled on about the mission they'd returned from, telling them every detail as if they'd just won a long and gruesome war. She tried to smile and nod at the appropriate times, but she kept sneaking what she hoped were covert glances at Loki, who interjected from time to time to correct a detail that Thor embellished or outright changed.

She noticed not for the first time how fine his features were. He was beautiful, really, she'd always thought so. So different to Thor's rugged handsomeness. If you never saw them interact, you'd never believe they were brothers. His green eyes glowed and his bone structure was sharp and his smile was always just this side of cunning and secretive, even when he was just being polite. If she couldn't read intent in someone's aura, she'd be as fooled by him as everyone else was. For a while she thought that must be why he didn't like her. She'd inadvertently ruined a handful of pranks in her first years here. She could tell when he was lying by the way his aura fluctuated, which was not something anyone else could do apparently. And though he could replicate himself better than any Kitsune she'd ever known, his clones didn't carry _any _of his aura. She'd found it incredibly discomfiting that something could _look _like Loki but not _feel_ like Loki, and it had been obvious by the way she acted.

She'd gotten over it quickly enough and hadn't ruined another prank since. He'd stopped trying to pull one over on her and she'd adamantly refused to help Thor figure out when Loki was spinning mischief. They'd come to an _understanding_, and it was the closest thing they had to a friendship in all her time here.

She glanced at him again and blushed. He was grinning; that boyish grin of mayhem that seemed so out of place on his aristocratic features yet looked just like him at the same time. Thor was telling a part of the story that involved him and his clones and illusions. His abilities had never ceased to amaze her.

"That's impressive Loki."

He seemed almost surprised that she'd spoken to him, but he quickly schooled his features back into that polite mask she'd grown to hate and nodded at her.

"Thank you."

"Your welcome."

She turned back to her food, ready to tune everyone out.

'_We're going to be friends even if I have to force it. But it's not because I have a crush on him._' She thought to herself, stealing one last glance at him and blushing once again when he met her gaze with his flashing emerald eyes.

'_Nope. Definitely no crush.'_


	16. Chapter15

_A.N.: What Are update schedules anymore? Does anything have any meaning? What day is it even? Quick note to say thanks to everyone who leaves reviews and questions and comments, and for everyone who follows and favorites. You all bring me so much happiness!_

Three weeks. It had been three weeks since she'd determined to break Loki's weird wall he'd built between them when he'd believed she was mortal and be his friend once and for all.

And she'd made no progress. At all.

He was always polite, always, but he found multiple ways to duck out of conversations she tried to strike up. He was also always conveniently 'going' whenever she was 'coming,' having a reason to leave and do something somewhere else.

She did not understand it. She'd _never_ had such a hard time making friends with someone. Kami's sake, she'd even managed it with Sesshomaru by the end of her shard quest! But Loki was immovable, clever, and a master evader.

She knew he _could_ be friendly, he had friends after all- the same friends that she had. But he was much less open and approachable than the rest of them. It was upsetting her much more than it probably should have, but for whatever reason she just really needed to progress their relationship past formal acquaintances who sometimes exchange polite greetings.

None of her other friends understood it either. _They_ were all friends with him but they'd all known each other for centuries if not millennia. Dala had a healthy respect for him as a prince of asgard, but she'd never so much as said "hello" to him so she could offer no advice. Fandral kept teasing that it was because she liked him _like that_ but she _did not_. Definitely not.

It made for a sullen miko at breakfast, and a confused Thor to leave her to pick around at her food when his attempts to cheer her up failed.

She startled when the dining room doors opened loudly and Odin swept in.

'_Odin is having breakfast with us? That's odd.. he only eats breakfast or lunch with us when- OH! He's got an errand he needs someone to run! I wonder if he'll let me go this time!'_

She perked right up, ready to listen when he was ready to talk.

He chatted quietly with Frigga and then with Thor, exchanged a few pleasant greetings with Loki and then, finally, turned to her and looked perplexed by her slightly crazed smile and wide eyes.

"Kagome, child, what is it?"

She took a deep breath to try and calm the excitement buzzing through her.

"Nothing!"

"Hmm... indeed. Well, on to business. The kingdom of elves in northern Alfheim has requested a meeting with Thor. But they've asked for Thor alone, and that doesn't sit well with me. Loki, you will go instead."

Loki looked up from his breakfast plate, anger making his eyes glow and furrowing his brow.

"What? You think it dangerous to send Thor like they _asked_ so you'll send _me_ instead?"

Thick tension swelled and consumed everyone at the table, and Kagome had to fight the urge to flee from the room and run down the hall.

"Yes. You're more than capable of handling yourself. If it's a trap set for Thor then you will most certainly be clever enough to avoid it. And you're the only one with enough wit to get the information I want from them."

Kagome suddenly found Odin herself staring straight into Odin's one eye and dread chilled her spine like she'd been doused in a bucket of ice water.

"And take Kagome with you. I promised the girl last time she could go on the next one."

Loki's aura cooled rapidly to freezing. His green eyes sharpened and he grinned a slow, dangerous grin.

"Let me get this straight father, you want to send me on a fool's errand to set off a trap meant for Thor, figure out why it was set, and babysit the human girl the whole time?"

"Hey!" A barrage of memories of Inuyasha chiding her for talking too much and constantly throwing herself into danger flashed before her eyes along with her life as Loki turned his razor sharp gaze on her. But he'd _insulted_ her, and Kagome was no respecter of strength or power when she'd been insulted.

"I'm not _just_ human girl, you know! I'm as immortal as you are and I've got _more_ than enough of my own power!"

He snorted harshly, an undignified expression of his frustration that didn't suit him at all.

And then he wiped it all away, slipping on a polite mask and bowing his head first to her and then to his mother.

"My apologies. Mother, please excuse me."

He stood, turned, and stalked out of the room.

She slumped in her chair, feeling guilty and disappointed, but Frigga patted her hand and stroked her hair.

"Dont worry dear, he'll come around."

* * *

He'd had time to cool off on his own, so he wasn't a hairsbreadth from burning the entire palace down to rubble, but Loki was still displeased at how his next few days would look.

He should be more than used to coming in second under his golden boy brother where his father was concerned, but it never failed to rake right against that raw part of his heart every time.

His father may have _said_ he was the only one clever enough to get through this little jaunt but what he'd _heard_ was '_We can risk sacrificing you instead.'_

_And_ he had to let the human girl tag along.

He didn't have much against her, really, except that he would have to pull so much extra slack to make up for their differences in natural strength that it would be no different to go alone.

Easier really, since he wouldn't have to watch out for her on top of it all.

And just when he'd thought he was finally coming out of his little funk, Thor walked into his room where he'd been sulking and preparing to leave.

He sighed and rolled his eyes at the pleasant smile on his brother's face.

"What do you want?"

He choked as Thor slapped him soundly on the back in that awful gesture of friendliness he refused to give up.

"I just want to make sure you're alright. I know father upset you. He really does think you're the smarter brother."

Loki cut him a look and continued to pack a few essentials into a small sack.

"It's because I _am_ the smarter brother."

Thor grinned and squeezed his shoulder and loath as he was to admit it, he did feel a little better.

"Try not to be too harsh to Kagome alright? She's very excited she finally gets to leave and she feels very badly that you're so put out."

Loki sighed again and took a seat in a nearby chair, crossing his arms and pursing his lips in returning agitation.

"I'm not going to be cruel. I'll be as polite as ever. But I won't pretend to be happy that her presence means we'll move at least half the pace we usually move. And that I'll have to make sure no harm comes to her."

"You'd be surprised you know. She doesn't have the physical strength born to all Asgardians but she's not a weakling. She has been training with mother to sharpen her inherent Magics since just after she arrived and Sif has been training her in hand to hand combat for many years now. I've seen her practice a few times and her magic is very different from yours, she may just be a boon to you."

Loki rolled his eyes.

"Well. Be that as it may, she's a weird little thing. She's a love-sick little fool where you are concerned yet she also hovers about me. I'm not going to help her gain your favor so I've been keeping myself scarce, but she's surprisingly persistent."

Thor burst out laughing, clutching his middle and slapping his leg in a way that was so obnoxious Loki was ready to blast him right out of his room.

"What could _possibly _be so funny?"

"For someone who's so smart you can be really stupid!"

Thor left and his hysterics echoed down the hall with him, leaving Loki's mood just as sour as it had been before.

* * *

On his way to dinner, Loki decided to corner Kagome and inform her that he planned to leave the next day, so if she didn't want to be left behind, she'd need to be ready to go right after breakfast. Her lady's maid had informed him she was in the library, so he'd headed there straight away.

He was surprised to find she was already conversing with someone, so he ducked behind the doorway to wait until she was alone again. The girl she was talking to was a simpering mess just trying to talk to _her_; he'd only make it worse if he made his own presence known.

"Um... excuse me... my Lady... um..."

"Kagome is just fine."

"Oh. Okay... lady Kagome."

"No that's not... never mind. How can I help you?"

"It's just... I've noticed you spend much time with Prince Thor..."

"Yes I do."

"And... well... I was wondering... um..."

"_Yeeees_?"

"Well, are you two- and I mean this with the utmost respect my lady, I assure you..."

"I believe you."

"Okay. Um, are you two... lovers?"

Kagome snorted and Loki's brow raised a fraction.

"Definitely _not_."

"Do you... wish to be?"

"No."

"Oh. Well, it's just, you're always with him, and he's _so_ handsome.."

"You think I want to be with him... _that_ way, yes?"

"Yes my lady, that's what I'm asking."

"No. Thor isn't really my type."

"Your... type?"

"What I mean is, while I agree that Thor is _very_ handsome, he's not really the kind of handsome I want to wake up to in the morning. If you're asking me if I can help you hook up with him, the answer is no, I don't have any sway over who Thor likes or dislikes. I can try to put in a good word for you."

"Oh my lady, that would be so kind!"

"Don't mention it!"

Loki listened as the other girls footsteps grew more distant and waited until he heard the door on the other end of the library open and close, digesting all that he'd just learned.

_'I suppose I HAVE misjudged her a little...'_

"Mischief Maker, you may come out."

'_Or misjudged her a lot...'_

He stepped around the doorway. She stood several paces away, hands on her hips and a smug smirk on her face.

"Why are you eavesdropping on me?"

His eyebrows raised again, surprised to have been so thoroughly caught out. He donned his most charming grin and gave her a shallow bow.

"Apologies My Lady. I had no intention of eavesdropping. I nearly came to inform you of our plans to leave after breakfast on the morrow and did not wish to interrupt your prior conversation."

Her smile grew even more smug, and he had a feeling he hadn't taken back the upper hand as successfully as he'd thought.

"Lord Of Lies you may be Loki, but I am the seer of truth, and you cannot lie to me. Your soul sells you out every time. I'll be ready, don't you worry."

She turned back to the book that lie open on the table behind her, effectively dismissing him. He went back to his room with his opinions turned upside down and inside out and much to ponder before the next day.


	17. Chapter16

_A.N.: in light of certain world event making things crazy I think I might ditch my update schedule for this and just update when I feel like it. It will still be at least once a week but it may be more. Who can say? I think a fic about Loki deserves a little less structure and a little more chaos lol_

**In the Field Part One**

Kagome hitched her backpack up higher on her shoulders and marched up to Loki where he waited on the Bifrost. His bored frown did not match her excited grin but she would not be be brought down. This was the best day of her life, she was _leaving the castle_, and would be _alone_ with Loki for at least the rest of the day if not two.

'_He'll have no choice but to be friends after this!'_

"Ready?!" She chirped, and his bland expression fell into a subtle scowl with a sigh.

"I suppose."

They made their way down the bifrost and Kagome breathed in the cool morning air, practically bursting at the seams with excitement.

"You know this isn't a vacation, don't you?"

She stuck her tongue out at him, no real irritation dimming her good mood.

"You wouldn't understanding Loki. You get to leave whenever you want!"

"Is that what you think?"

"Besides, I used to do this all the time when I was younger! Going on dangerous quests was like my day job. I didn't think I would miss it when it ended but then I wasn't allowed to leave that castle for a hundred years and let me tell you, you don't know anything about cabin fever until you've been stuck in one castle for _100 years_."

Loki glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, amused despite himself.

"Do you always speak so rapidly? As if every moment is the last moment you might get every last thought out of your head?"

She cut him a mischievous look.

"I guess you'll just have to stop avoiding me and find out!" In her voice was a challenge and it intrigued him, though he wasn't sure it was enough to spend anymore time in her presence than necessary. He would wait and see.

"You overestimate my curiosity."

She smirked, not looking the least bit put off.

"I think I estimate it just fine."

Heimdall was waiting for them, standing tall, golden armor glowing in the morning light.

"Good morning my prince, little princess."

Loki nodded in greeting, but Kagome wrinkled her nose.

"Oh Heimdall, I've told a million times not to call me that, I'm not a princess."

The lightest touch of a smirk lifted the corners of his mouth.

"Perhaps not now, nevertheless it is my pleasure to serve you. Are you ready to be off?"

"Yes Heimdall, and I'll thank you not to scramble her little mortal brain with more of your riddles, I'll be dragging her along enough as it is." Loki replied, and Heimdall had the audacity to chuckle as he turned to open the bifrost.

"I cannot believe you two are _making fun of me _like this, and right in front of me! Heimdall, I expected better of you for sure!"

"Forgive me little princess, but you anger is righteous and so very amusing."

Loki grinned that insufferable grin he always got when he'd successfully caused some bit of mischief or other, and Kagome rolled her eyes and huffed.

"Whatever, lets just go, I'm ready to get out of here."

She was bouncing on her toes, excitement bubbling through her again, watching eagerly as Heimdall wielded his great sword and opened the bifrost. In a flashing rainbow blink, they stood not on the edge of Asgard, but in warm, sunny wood that was positively effervescent.

The air was crystal clear, shimmering with life and magic, and every leaf, tree, flower and blade of grass was a color so brightly saturated that Kagome almost had a hard time looking at them.

It was perfect.

"Oh my... this is gorgeous. It looks like Fairy Land!"

Loki snorted and set off toward the castle spire he could see in the distance.

"Fairy Land. I'm afraid to disappoint you but there are only _elves _here."

Kagome jogged to catch up, unable to help herself from looking wildly around in every direction, taking in every last detail.

"What kind of elves?" She asked curiously, unfamiliar with the mythos of Álfheim and it's inhabitants. She'd have to check the library when they got back for books on the other realms. In all the time she'd spent in the library she'd only read books about Asgard, of stories that originated from its people, but there had to be _something_ about Álfheim and Nilfheim and whatever other worlds and realms Asgard regularly dealt with.

"Light elves." Loki answered blandly, and Kagome chafed a little that he was so stingy with information.

"What do they look like?

He cut her an exasperated look and she stifled a giggle.

"What do they look like?! I don't- they look like elves! How else could they possibly look?"

Kagome's laugh finally broke free and she tried to calm her amusement at the look on Loki's face. He was bordering on straight up offended to be made fun of.

"Alright alright, chill out. I'll explain. On earth we have stories about all kids of elves. Some are tall and gorgeous and graceful and wise, and some are very small and make things like toys, shoes or cookies. I just want to know what to expect, because I'm working with a wide range of possibilities here."

He rolled his eyes and sighed, crossing his arms and grumbling under his breath about silly humans and their silly myths.

"Light elves from Álfheim and shining and beautiful but they're uppity and self righteous and the sooner we can solve this mess and leave the better."

Kagome hummed under her breath, subtly poking around at his aura. He was agitated, annoyed, short tempered, all things that would stand in the way of him allowing a friendship to blossom between them.

'_How do I get him out of the funk that coming on this trip put him in?_' She mused, giving him a some quiet space while she searched her mind for some way to connect with him that would annoy him further.

'_If only I actually knew something about this place to discuss with him. I wish I'd thought to scan the library for stories before we left.'_

Suddenly an idea struck her, one so simple she could smack herself.

'_Oh, stories!! That's right! Appeal to his nature, why didn't I think of it before?'_

She observed his face for a moment, noting the tense line of his mouth and the furrow of his brow. He was very put out to be here, probably more because his father had seemingly tossed him into a trap meant for the other son than the actual location and company.

'_At least I hope so.' _She gulped and decided to jump right in to her renewed attempts at forging a closer relationship.

"Have you been here many times before?"

"Yes."

His response was short and clipped, not unexpected.

"I bet you have some remarkable stories."

He eyed her suspiciously and she blinked back innocently, trying desperately to hide the triumph she felt when his aura brightened just a hair.

"I suppose I do."

"I'd love to hear them."

Maybe it was because he was a natural story teller, or maybe it was the sincerity in her voice, but Loki found himself regaling her with story after story of his many times in the land of the Light Elves. She was an avid listener, forgoing taking in the scenery so as not to miss a single word and he was loath to deny it felt nice to be the center of attention.

They trudged along through the forest for some time and Kagome could do little more than hang on every word. She had noticed that the gods she lived with all came alive when they operated within some part of their given aspect, and what she was witnessing here was no different. She'd seen Loki light up when pulling pranks or spinning lies and smooth talking, but the way he lit up when telling a story made him shine in a completely new way that left her more than a little starry eyed.

He stopped them in a clearing ran through with a little stream and Kagome refilled their canteens while Loki rummaged through her pack to find some food for a quick lunch. She knew it was probably more for her benefit than his, but she was grateful nonetheless.

Kagome's attention was snared by a rainbow menagerie of small fish swimming down the stream in a shimmering group. Then she picked up a smooth river rock streaked through with vibrant mineral veins.

"Everything here is just... perfect. Like it's not even real."

"It's supposed to be, that's how they trap you here."

She spun with wide shocked eyes but found Loki standing there holding out her lunch ration with a smug little smirk on his face. She giggled and felt hopeful. He was joking around with her, that _had _to be a good sign.

"Ha, ha. Very funny."

"Is it really so different here from home?"

'_Home_.' Sometimes it still amazed her that her home was no longer the planet she was born too, but a completely different planet in an entirely different part of the universe and completely populated by gods. She glanced around again and held up the image of this place with her mental images of home.

This place shimmered, but Asgard _shined_.

She smiled at Loki and took her lunch.

"No, not so different. But it's _not_ home, and since I haven't left home in so long, that makes all the difference as far as I'm concerned."

He tilted his head in confusion and regarded her for a moment.

"Has it really been so long?"

"It's been a hundred years!"

"Is that... long?"

She stared back in astonishment, but his expression was earnest and curious and she blushed despite herself at how open he seemed. He was openly eating and asking her questions and though she'd eaten at least one meal with him nearly every day since she'd arrived, he _rarely_ spoke to her at the table so sharing a pleasant conversation and meal with him now seemed... she wasn't sure, intimate some how.

"Um. Let me put it this way. I'm human, you know that. If I was still a regular, mortal human, I'd be _dead _by now."

His eyes widened and he sat up a little straighter.

"Truly?"

"Yes. It's been a long time since you've been around humans, hasn't it?"

He grinned and relaxed again, tearing off another piece of the bread he was eating.

"Truly I never liked spending much time on-"

A loud but distant boom sent a tremor spreading through the earth strong enough to rattle their spines even with as far as they were. Loki stood quickly and spun toward the direction the sound and vibration originated, staring into the trees as if he could see something she couldn't.

He turned back and began collecting their supplies and stuffing them back into their bags.

"Time to go. I think we just found our little problem."

Kagome quickly sent her aura out in a thin wave and she paled when it snapped back. She grabbed Loki's sleeve and frantically met his eyes.

"Loki, I don't know what that thing is but it's _big_. Very very big. I don't think I've _ever _come across something that large before."

He nodded and patted her hand, gently removing her vice grip and handing her her pack.

"Alright, we will approach with stealth and caution."

She sagged in relief.

"I'm so glad I'm here with you and not Thor. He would run right in swinging with no regard to anyone's safety. "

Loki rolled his eyes. "Thor has no appreciation for finesse."

"Or drama."

He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Keep laughing and the temptation to toss you to the beast as distraction will be too great to deny."

She snorted and crossed her arms, smiling sarcastically.

"You wouldn't dare."

He slid in front of her and bent down close to her face, crowding her. Her eyes widened and caught in the intensity of his, their emerald green color swirling with mischief and mayhem and something a little darker.

"You have not the means to imagine the things I would dare, little woman. I would dare much indeed."

She blushed and swallowed the lump in her throat, a shiver racing down her spine, though she certainly wouldn't call it a shiver of fear. She cleared her throat and scowled, pushing past him and beginning their trek toward the giant creature that they were supposedly here to take down. The victory and satisfaction igniting his aura disgusted her and she was very glad indeed that she was here with Loki alone. She'd have to kill Fandral to stop him laughing at her at this point.

"Whatever jerk! We don't have time for a verbal sparring match, let's just get this over with!"

'_Kami-sama! That was... hot!'_

He chuckled with dark amusement, and she determined to ignore him, at least for a while.


	18. Chapter17

**In the Feild Part 2**

The better part of the evening had already been spent by the time they made it to the location of the mighty beast making so much noise and damage. They'd traveled through the rest of the part of the forest they'd arrived in and picked their way down a cliff face. They were hunkered down on an outcropping in front of a cave and peering over the side. Down in the rocky gorge was the biggest, most hideous thing Kagome had ever seen. It stomped this way and that, looking like a small mountain rampaging, intent on destroying everything in its path.

"What the heck is it?" Kagome asked with trepidation, glancing over to meet Loki's eyes.

"Some sort of mountain troll."

"So you've seen one before?"

"No. I have only read about them. And... I had not thought them native to Álfheim. Svartalfheim maybe..."

"Great." She deflated a little, hopes for a relatively easy take down dashed.

He gestured toward her bow and quiver.

"Can't you just shoot it?"

"And what good do you think that will do?"

"You can simply blow it up and we'll move on."

"And what of it doesn't blow up? Then he'll just be pissed off!"

"And why wouldn't it work? Don't you blow things up with those little sharp sticks of yours all the time?"

She scowled and crossed her arms in a huff. "Yes but I've never blown up a literal fucking _mountain _before!"

Loki shook his head and '_tsk'd_' haughtily, tapping the end of her nose as if she were a naughty child.

"Such _language _for the pure little priestess. You really must learn to control your temper."

"You really know how to try someone's patience don't you? I just need to retreat for a minute and build up enough reiki to do the job. And we can't do it here. When that thing goes it's going to be bad, this whole gorge could collapse. We'll have to draw it out somewhere more flat and open."

She could see the wheels in Loki's head clicking along as he led her into the little cave at their backs.

"I know a place. Leave the diversion to me, I can get him out. It will take some time though, I doubt this creature moves very fast."

"That's fine, I'm not in a hurry, and I can build up the charge in my arrow as we go. I've _got _to get it right. We can't afford to have this thing running off into any populated areas. It would crush everyone. So, what did you have in mind for a diversion?"

A green light zipped over Loki's form and then a second a Loki stepped off to the side, perfectly replicated save for his absence of aura. Then she blinked, and he was Thor.

"Little sister! What an honor to do battle with you this day!"

Kagome grimaced, but chuckled a little despite herself.

"It's so weird when you do that."

Loki sent his decoy Thor off to begin drawing away the mountain troll and collected his pack again, ready to move off and follow.

"What? Mimic someone?"

"No, make replicas. They look like you, but... they don't _feel_ like you."

He stopped and regarded her steadily, not sure what to make of her.

"What do you mean they don't _feel_ like me?"

Interestingly she blushed. She was so very easy to fluster.

"Um, when you make a replica of yourself, for some reason none of your aura carries over. I can see them, hear them when they speak, Ive never touched one, I don't know if they're corporeal... but they don't have any aura at all, so they creep me out. It's like they're a void. I've only felt something like once before."

His eyes had gone wide in realization and he looked at her as if seeing her for the first time.

"That's how you always know."

She shifted a little uncomfortably and shrugged.

"Heh. Ta-da.."

He tapped his fingers against his chin and narrowed his eyes, Kagome squirmed under the intensity of his stare.

"Hm. Interesting. There is potential..."

"Hold up dude, we are _not_planning pranks right now. We've got a giant rock thing to get rid of!"

"Very well. We will come back to this another time. Let's go, we don't want my little Thor puppet getting too far ahead."

Carefully they scaled the rest of the way down the cliff and kept a safe distance between them and 'Thor' as they were led from the rocky gorge to higher, safer, more level ground. Kagome took one of her arrows out and set it to her bow, pouring a steady supply of her reiki into it. It glowed pink, lighting them both up even in the lingering evening sunlight.

"Why did you make it look like Thor, anyway?"

Loki tilted his head and watched the pink glow around her hands and weapon grow brighter and brighter as she concentrated an immense amount of her natural powers into the arrow she would use to fell the mountain troll, adding this to the growing list of things he had apparently overlooked when judging her as he had.

"They asked for Thor in the first place, did they not?"

"Indeed they did." She conceded, and then turned all of her focus on building up her reiki in her chosen arrow. It was taking a great deal of effort as she'd never before used this much of her power in one attack, but she'd also never faced taking down such a large opponent on her own either. But she'd been training for a century, tuning and stretching her abilities far beyond anything she'd ever thought possible. She would ace this.

The place Loki led the troll was a vast, lush meadow far enough from the gorge or any mountains or forests to be a collapse risk when they blew the thing sky high. Loki bid his Thor puppet to dance around and squawk like a scared bird to hold the beasts attention and Kagome rolled her eyes at him, he was getting far too much amusement out of this whole thing.

They ducked down right at the edge of the meadow behind a mossy boulder and Kagome lined up her brightly glowing shot. With the creature in her sights, she said a silent, regretful prayer for the gorgeous meadow she was about to destroy.

Loki snorted at her side and drew back his puppet.

"Oh just shoot it! There are 500 other meadows just like this one here, I'll take you to see one later."

She shook off everything and released a deep breath, steadying herself.

It had been too damn long since she'd done this for real.

She sent one last large surge of reiki to her arrow and let it fly.

The resulting explosion was deafening, and the creature's physical makeup meant that it did not have the right magical energies to be purified and turned to ash, so it sent a hail of large stones in every direction.

Loki lept on top of her, pushing her to the ground and covering her with his own body. He braced himself, but when odd sounding thunks surrounded them in place of being pelted by steaming debris, he glanced up cautiously to find them encased in a shimmering pink shell. The stones from the trolls body bounced harmlessly off its surface, and he sat up in barely concealed awe. He helped Kagome sit up and she squeaked out a blushing 'thank you.'

"No... thank you..." he trailed off, reaching a hand out and placing it against the barrier surface. It was solid and strong and sent of zip of something electric up his arm. He pulled his hand away and looked at his palm. Tiny pink embers bounced about, flickering out into flurries that spiraled out into nothing across his skin.

"Extraordinary."

He met her icy blue gaze, enhanced by the bright red that had settled across her face, and grinned at her.

"Uh.. th-thanks. It was nothing."

"That was not nothing. That was-"

A harsh, screeching voice coming from the area near the remains of the troll and Loki quickly scooped Kagome up and rolled back behind the boulder they had hid behind before the explosion. She was practically on his lap, and when she felt a ripple of his magic wash through her, the sensation of strength and chaos and _him_ stole her voice and her ability to move. He leaned down and whispered oh so quietly in her ear, his breath spreading across the back of her neck and sending a chill down her spine.

"Be silent. I've made us invisible to the eye and as long as you remain in contact with me you cannot he seen. But she can hear us if you make any sound."

Kagome nodded and then did her very best to concentrate on the shrill voice and _not_ the handsome god she was using as a chair.

"THOR ODINSON! I know you're here, come out and face me, coward! I'll teach you to rebuff _me_! Come out!"

They slowly, silently maneuvered themselves to be able to peek around the boulder and what they found left them feeling very different things.

Kagome was awed by the beautiful woman ranting and raving and the epicenter of her little purity bomb. Her golden hair shined like silk and she didn't know if she'd ever seen a face so perfect. She peeked up at Loki who hovered over her with one hand wrapped around her waist to keep her cloaked in his invisibility spell, and she was shocked to find an annoyed scowl on his face. He rolled his eyes and pulled them both back into hiding.

The elven woman stomped all around the meadow, screaming for Thor and searching in every nook and crevice she could find, growing more enraged as the Alfheim sun continued to set and she found no sign of the thunder god.

When she finally left, night had fallen and she left in a huff. When it was certain she was gone, Loki released his hold on Kagome and dropped his head back against the boulder, crossing his arms and frowning angrily at the stars.

"I cannot believe this whole thing was a pitiful attempt to trap my idiot brother for sleeping with a woman and never seeing her again."

Kagome sat awkwardly at his side, unsure what to do now that their mission was over and Loki's mood had dropped so far. His aura had dimmed and it twisted with anger and old hurt. She was sure she couldn't take any of it away, but she might be able to distract him.

"I'm surprised he didn't, she's gorgeous."

"Gorgeous, yes. And foolish, insipid, hot headed, rash, spoiled, selfish.. I could go on."

She eyed him for a moment, trying to decide if this line of conversation would be worth Pursuing, if it would help lighten his heart for a moment.

"You know her?"

He lifted his head back upright and stared out into the dark.

"Yes. She's the Elf Lord's eldest daughter."

"Damn. Maybe Thor should have kept it in his pants for once."

She gave herself a mental pat on the back when his lip twitched up in the ghost of an amused smile.

"What I don't get is why she would pull all of this. I know she's a high status elf, but you guys are _gods_. How does attacking a god seem like a good idea to anyone with even a few brain cells?"

He shrugged and stood, holding out a hand to help her to her feet.

"Our divinity is limited to earth. Outside of that and on Asgard, we are simply another race of powerful, immortal beings. Our high royal status in the realms is separate from our godhood on earth."

"Wow! That's... complicated. How did you all get connected to earth anyway?"

He turned to lead her to the place they'd stashed their packs some distance from their attack sight, shrugging carelessly in answer.

"I don't know. I've never much cared either way."

"Never cared about being a _god_? But we know you there. We still tell stories. I was from a completely different country with a different set of gods and I still learned about you and Thor and Odin."

"I had some fun on earth in my time, but as I had little to nothing to do with basic survival I had little else to do there, and humans had little to do with me. I grew bored and returned home to find some trouble somewhere else."

He said it so flippantly she almost believed that's all there was too it, but a faint wisp of sadness in his aura was impossible to miss, at least to her.

"I wouldn't say you had little to nothing to do with basic survival. You might not influence fertility or cause plants to grow but humanities history books are full of people who would have died horrible deaths if not for a clever lie. And we'd all be no better than robots without a touch of chaos to break up order and keep things interesting. And most importantly, humans spend most of their money on story telling. It's such an intrinsic part of the way we cope and relate and express ourselves that we've invented all these big, grand ways to tell all sorts of stories, and we throw so much of our money at it for just a few moments of connection or escape. You may not create life Loki, but you sustain it."

He stared into her so steadily it was as if he was staring _through_ her, and the enigmatic look on his face made her suddenly very unsure.

She twisted the hem of her training tunic, waiting for him to say something, anything. She chastised herself internally for ruining what had been such a good trip, such a _huge_ leap toward bridging the gap between acquaintances and friends.

_'Me and my big, stupid mouth.'_

"Are you ready to leave?"

She blinked and he had moved, pulling their packs out from the place they'd hidden them and handing hers over so she could slip it on her shoulders.

"Um yeah, sure. It's late anyway."

He stepped up close, crowding in her personal space, wrapping his arm around her waist and holding her snuggly against him. Her cheeks flamed and her eyes widened, the smug grin spreading across his face not even enough to break the trance his glittering green eyes always put her under.

He dropped his head back and yelled at the sky, "bring us back!" And the kaleidoscope of the bifrost burst to life around them, sweeping them up and pulling them home.

Back in Asgard in the doorway of the bifrost, Loki stepped away from Kagome and nodded in thanks to Heimdall. Then he offered his arm, which Kagome took with still warm cheeks.

"I will escort you to your room."

"Th-thanks! Are you going to tell Thor this was all his fault?"

"Of course. As if I'd pass up a chance toss his idiocy in his face."

Kagome's peals of laughter rang up and down the rainbow bridge, and as Heimdall watched them go, he watched as the glowing path of destiny lit up before them.


	19. Chapter18

_A.N.: yes I DID misspell a word in the last chapter's title but my spell check didn't pick it up for whatever reason and I don't feel like going through the trouble of reuploading to fix it lmao. Don't worry, writing is not my day job, HAH!_

Kagome reached for the door handle to the dining room and gripped it tight, breathing in deeply and exhaling through clenched teeth. She bid herself to open the door but her nerves froze her. She released the handle again and shook herself.

"Blah! Come on, Kagome, you can do it!" She pepped herself up again and tried once more, gripping the door handle with a white knuckle grip.

'_Come on, come on. It's no different than any other morning. Just go in and eat and talk to Thor. Loki probably won't talk to you just like every other morning.'_

But her thoughts did nothing to actually encourage her, plagued as she was by the idea that he _might_ talk to her, and then what would she do?

It was what she'd _hoped_ for, but after spending an entire day in his presence and _only_ his presence far away from Asgard, fighting next to him, verbally sparring with him, having an honest to goodness heart to heart...well, he might have been haunting her thoughts a little more than she wanted to admit.

_'I do not have a crush. I do not have a crush. I do not-'_

"Ahem."

With an undignified squawk she spun around and flailed, falling forward into a solid chest while a strong pair of arms wrapped around her to steady her. She took a moment to take a breath and let her heart slow down to a slightly more normal rate.

'_Oh Kami, please don't be Loki, please don't be Loki...'_

She peeked up tentatively and found a pair of green eyes sparkling with laughter and longed for death to swallow her.

_'Of course_.'

"Uh..."

"Hello. Very nice to run into you on the way to breakfast."

She pushed away from him, straitened her skirts and laughed a little too loudly.

"Oh yes! Great! So great! HAH HAH so funny." She coughed awkwardly and her soul cringed at the amusement that flared in his aura.

He stepped forward and opened the door with graceful ease, staring at it with a puzzled frown. He glanced back over at her, but the confusion on his face did not at all match his bright, teasing aura and Kagome braced herself for death.

"Odd, the door doesn't feel any heavier than usual."

His lips twitched at her blank expression and the mischief in his eyes swirled deep and unending.

"Perhaps you tired yourself out yesterday. A mountain troll is a mighty opponent indeed for a human."

Kagome gathered her tattered dignity and sniffed, lifting her nose in the air and sauntering past him like she hadn't just been more embarrassed than she'd ever thought possible. 'I_ can't believe I was nervous to see this jerk._'

"Perhaps I did! Thank you for your assistance."

He strode right past her, still oozing amusement, to pull out her chair.

She blushed lightly and sat carefully and he leaned forward just a touch.

"Good morning Kagome." He said softly and her heart beat just a tiny bit faster.

'_Progress_!'

"Good morning Loki!"

"And good morning to both of you children."

Frigga swept in with all her stately beauty, her motherly smile lighting both Kagome and Loki up.

"Good morning mother." Loki hopped up and rushed around the table, greeting his mother with a kiss to the cheek and then pulling her chair out for her.

Kagome ducked her head to hide a grin. He was such a momma's boy, and she found it way cuter than she probably ought to. She filled her plate while Frigga and Loki spoke quietly, ignoring Thor and his boisterous entrance. He took his customary seat next to her and grabbed his usual breakfast of a pile of meat.

"Good morning Kagome. How was your first trip away?"

"Oh yes, that reminds me," Frigga chimed in, stirring her tea, "Odin would see you both first thing after breakfast in his study."

"Forget about telling father, tell _me_! Did it end up being a trap?" Thor interrupted, and then frowned at the conspiratorial look Loki shared with Kagome.

"Yes brother, it was most certainly a trap." Loki's voice was smooth and smug, as it always was when he had information he felt gave him an advantage. He cut another look to Kagome who giggled and Thor was _certain _he didn't like whatever was developing here right under his nose.

"Yeah Thor, you really need to learn to keep it in your pants."

They pointedly ignored him for the rest of breakfast, and the first prince of Asgard pouted and planned to corner both of them at some point.

* * *

Odin's study was not a place Kagome had had many occasions to enter, so she felt surrounded, exposed, and supremely uncomfortable. Loki stood at her side with a casual stance, inspecting his nails as if they weren't standing before the King of Asgard about to give a status report of an important mission they'd been sent on.

'_It IS his father, not just the king._' She thought to herself, but it did little to avail her of her mounting nerves, and The longer Odin ignored them to rifle through things on his desk the sharper her anxiety grew.

Finally he cleared his throat and she straightened her spine while Loki crossed his hands behind his back.

"Well? How was it? Was it a trap?"

Odin addressed Loki, much to her relief, and she released a small, silent sigh that rid her of some of her tension.

"Yes. Some girl Thor lost interest in."

Odin stroked his beard, considering the information Loki had given him.

"All that trouble and risk for a lover's spat?"

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

At her words, they both turned to look at her with cocked brows and Kagome blush and coughed awkwardly.

"It's uh... something we say on Earth."

"Indeed," Odin replied, reclining back in his chair. "Well, I'm sure Alfheim will send someone to the banquet tomorrow to try and cover it up, if they even know of it. Did you encounter anyone?"

"Just the deranged elf princess who set the trap in the first place. No one else." Loki's voice was bored and bland, and Kagome grinned a little, taking comfort in how unaffected he was.

"Yes yes, very good. Well, you can both be off. We'll see what happens tomorrow night then."

Loki nodded while Kagome gave a polite bow to the king and they both turned and exited. As soon as the door clicked shut behind her all her remaining tension left and she turned to address Loki, who was quickly retreating down the hall.

"Loki!"

He turned back to her, brows lifted in curiosity. She felt her cheeks bloom with embarrassed heat and cleared her throat awkwardly.

"Um... I just... thank you. For, you know, letting me go with you yesterday. I had a lot of fun, and I think we made a good team."

To her surprise, he smiled. A small but true, genuine grin with no trace of mischief lifted the corners of his mouth and bowed forward in a shallow bow.

"It was my pleasure."

She watched him turn and retreat again, and when she was sure he was gone she pumped a fist in the air and hopped around on the balls of her feet, giggling a victorious little giggle.

"Yes! Progress!"

* * *

Kagome reclined against a silk swathed wall, sipping diluted Asgardian wine and watching the milling guests enter the banquet hall and chit chat like old friends at a high school reunion.

_'I suppose that's not too far off from what this is._' She thought, boredom clawing at her mind as she swirled the red liquid in her glass and watched tendrils of it cling to the sides.

The Gathering of the Realms was an important affair that happened every century or so, so it was the first time Kagome had attended, but it was far from the first Asgardian banquet she'd lived through and by now, her nerves no longer swallowed her and she was much more relaxed.

'_It helps that this one has been dull.'_

This was not really a party as the other banquets had been. It was a meeting for the realm leaders in good standing with Asgard to meet and discuss issues, politics, progress and other things that went right over her head as she'd never stepped foot in any of the 9 realms, and had certainly never met anyone from them. These were strangers here to boast and complain as far as she was concerned.

The only point of possible interest was that other realms that weren't technically considered one of the official 9 realms were also in attendance, one of them being Alfheim. Odin was certain they'd be sending someone higher up than the usual representative after the whole Thor-trap fiasco with the Alfheim princess. It was small potential for drama, and it was the only thing keeping Kagome from clawing her eyes out in boredom.

The banquet hall doors opened again, and in walked the contingent from Alfheim led by a radiantly beautiful man, and Kagome's eyes widened at the sight of him.

'_Damn, are ALL elves from Alfheim so pretty?!'_

The Elf's steely grey eyes swept the room and he stepped elegantly inside, nodding and smiling at greetings and making a turn of the room. He stopped at Frigga and Odin and, though she couldn't hear, the way his face fell in a remorseful frown and his hand clutched above his heart, she could just guess he must be apologizing for the trap that had been set.

'_Or denying all involvement.'_

Her eyes narrowed and she concentrated, his aura flaring into view. It was a bright yellow glow around him, and with his blond hair and delicately chiseled features he looked angelic, but she could feel the flickers if deceit surrounding him and her guard immediately went up when his eyes shifted to her and a slow smile spread across his face. With chilling grace and a predatory glint in his gaze he made his way toward her. He stood too close, bending into her personal space, attempting to cage her in against the wall behind her, but she managed to sidestep enough to give her room to escape should she need it.

His handsome face split in a confident grin, but she felt far from flattered by his attention.

"Why hello. I don't believe I've ever encountered you at one of these functions before. How very...interesting."

She leaned back away from him, bringing her wine glass up and taking a sip to give her something to do while her scrambled mind regrouped.

"Uh... yeah I don't make a habit out of coming."

"Is that so? Neither do I, if I may speak truthfully. Being the crowned prince of Alfheim leaves me far too busy for too many social calls."

"Oh, so Alfheim sent their crowned prince today then! I'd heard they were sending someone important after all the mayhem yesterday."

Dread filled her and she cursed her nervous, runaway mouth when his eyes began glowing with dark curiosity.

"Ah, and how would you know of any such mayhem? You wouldn't have anything to do with the... shocking devastation in my countryside, would you?"

"I... I..."

"And how, pray tell, did such a small, pretty thing as you manage such vast damage? Maybe you are more then you seem..."

Every spiritual alarm bell she had rang and clanged inside her, making her soul quake that someone was edging so close to the truth of her power when they'd never even seen her before.

"No! No it.. it wasn't me, it was-"

"It was me."

She startled and turned, bracing herself against the wall when her abruptness nearly sent her tumbling to the floor.

"Loki!"

His eyes flickered to hers for a moment, his face blank, hard, irritated, before melting into a slick, charming grin more dangerous than the other prince currently keeping her company.

"It would be foolish to assume such a dainty thing could cause half so much chaos."

"Indeed." The elven prince answered, stroking his chin, eyeing Loki with suspicion. "Indeed it would. And you say you caused it? How?"

Loki raised a brow as if such a question was too stupid to ask, crossing his arms, looking the elven prince up and down, a frown of disgust on his face as if he'd found him lacking.

"A bomb."

"That's it?" The prince looked taken aback by such a simple answer and Loki snorted.

"Yes. I know the the Elven court is lacking in intelligence, as evidenced by your foolish sisters half brained attempt at an ambush on her _own_ soil, but any idiot can figure out a bomb. Now, if you'll excuse us, mother would like word immediately."

He looped his arm around Kagome's waist and ushered her away and she breathed a sigh of thanks.

'_Thank Kami, that could have gone so much worse.'_

Loki glanced down at her, amusement lighting his features and she smiled up at him.

"Thanks for that. He was a creep and I am terrible at lying."

He smirked and released his hold on her, offering his arm instead.

"I noticed."

She blushed, taking hold of the crook of his elbow and allowing him to lead her to where Thor, Frigga and Odin sat at the head of the table, to empty chairs awaiting them.

"Sorry... I've never been good at it, and I ramble when I'm nervous. I was afraid he would find out... about.. you know."

"Hm." He hummed in agreement, figuring out she was far more than a simple human woman would be disastrous indeed. That hadn't been why he'd helped her though. He'd caught sight of her being crowded into that corner and could tell she was uncomfortable, and the elf prince never had good intentions when looking at any woman like _that_. Since he tolerated Alfheim's prince even less than he tolerated their princess, spiking his plans and helping his... well he supposed his _friend_ since that's what she seemed determined to be, had taken little consideration.

" Alfheim's prince is not much smarter than his sister, but he is sneaky and underhanded and not to be trusted. It's best to always be on your guard with him. But, there is no shame in being honest."

She met his eyes with surprise and found nothing but sincerity shining in their green depths. She smiled and then took another sip of her wine, needing to distract herself.

"You're right, but thank you again, anyway."

With his other hand, he plucked the glass from her finger.

"Of course I'm right. I usually am."

He took a sip of her wine and then choked, glaring down at the glass with disgust.

"_What_ the-"

She erupted into peals of giggles, taking her glass back.

"It's half water."

"It's _what_?"

"I can't handle straight Asgardian wine yet. I'm working my way up!"

"That's _disgusting_."

"Yeah well so are the hangovers pure Asgard wine gives me, I'd rather play it safe. And anyway, I stared with three parts water, one part wine, and now I'm fifty-fifty so I'm making progress!"

He rolled his eyes and pulled out her chair, grumbling about humans and foolishness and the desecration of good wine. She returned Thor's greeting and began filling a plate with food, satisfaction thrumming through her.

'_Oh yes I'm making progress, Indeed. Lots of progress.'_

_**A.N.: continue to be safe, and I'll see you in the next one! **_


	20. Chapter19

_A.N.: Asgard is beautiful, and was no doubt designed by skilled architects, of which I am not one. But I may change some layouts to suit my devious writer purposes. Roll with it ;)_

Flinging her curtains open to allow the morning light to filter in, Kagome took a deep breath and relished the warmth on her skin. It was early, but she was dressed and ready, donning her training gear and sturdy boots, a bag packed with some essentials and a full quiver of sharpened arrows.

It was her day off, and she was venturing outside.

These days happened every so often. She had no training session with Frigga or Sif planned, and it was also Frigga's planned cleaning day for the family dining hall, where the table and silver would be wiped, waxed and polished, it meant they were left to spend the day until dinner to their own devices, taking meals in their room or wherever else. Behind the training grounds, there was a small bit of forest left as a buffer for stray weapons before the palace gave way to the rest of the city, and as her heart had mended over her time in Asgard, cradled in the opulence of her new home and the love of her new family, Kagome found herself itching to get out and "rough it" again here and there. As Odin would not allow her to leave Asgard with the others on missions until very very recently, she'd decided to use what free time she had to hike and hunt in that forest to shake off her cabin fever. She left early and got back in time to have dinner with the rest of the family, and they were, hopefully, none the wiser.

It had been several months since her last excursion and she was thrilled that her next chance had arrived, and that the day was sparkling and warm.

She took her usual path through the training room as it was still too early for most to be up utilizing them. She would slip into the woods behind the target field and be off before anyone could notice she was gone.

She was shocked, however, to hear voices coming from the target field, voices she recognized. She hid behind the doorway, hoping they would leave.

"I'm just saying, you seem to be very... _kind_ to her lately." Thor's voice was full of suspicion, and she could feel the irritation flaring Loki's aura from her hiding spot.

"I have been less standoffish with her, nothing more."

"Uh huh. Is that what you'd call it, brother?"

"Is there a point you're trying to make? I thought you'd be glad we're _friends _now. Isn't that what you always wanted?"

"You sure there's nothing else?"

Loki snorted and she felt the pulse of his magic. She'd bet he was poofing away his daggers.

"Of course not. How absurd."

Thor's voice taunting and teasing and she could just see that awful smug grin he always got when he thought he knew something you didn't.

"Maybe not yet, but don't be surprised if she sneaks up on you. Kagome can have that affect."

"She's welcome to try." Loki's tone was distracted, bored, checked out, and she had to stifle a horrified gasp as she listened to their voices and footsteps grow closer to the door back into the training room.

'_Oh shit, they were talking about me. And they're getting closer!'_

She dashed away from the door and hid behind a rack of staffs, watching them through the spaces between as they walked back through the training room and into the castle proper.

She exhaled the breath she'd been holding and ran quickly out of the training room and into the woods.

* * *

The forests of Asgard were familiar enough to be comforting but different enough to be interesting. Trees and plants and dirt and birds and other woodland critters; it smelled like a forest, sounded like a forest, and _felt like a forest._

But all the little details were different.

A zillion different species of everything, even things that seemed pretty analogous to things back on earth, like snakes, beetles and squirrels, were unlike any species she'd seen before coming here. It was an endless parade of wonder and beauty. She'd found many books in the castle library to help her identify as many things as possible. She could name birds and bushes, identify trees, find edible plants and berries; she could even find the herbs necessary to make poison for her arrowheads if necessary.

But her favorite aspect of all was her little ritual of finding a small clearing, building a small fire, and hunting and gathering her _own _lunch. It put her right back on the shard hunt, and though she was all alone instead of surrounded by friends she loved as family, it made her feel warm and connected to a life she'd left behind long, long ago. It was a small, secret indulgence she allowed herself as remembrance.

She arrived at a suitable clearing and walked the perimeter, gathering sticks and twigs. In the spirit of adventure, she tried to never use the same clearings too often in a row, though there weren't too many to choose from. This was one, she was surprised to find. She hadn't made use of yet. She had her fire built up soon enough, and ventured back under the trees in search of berries or other plants to add to her meal. She soon found a small clump of bushes covered in a bright red berry. They were tart and sweet, a particular favorite of hers, so she gathered a good handful to take back to her camp. She deposited the pile of berries near the fire and set off to hunt up a little bird to roast for lunch.

Though she spotted many flitting in and out of the tree canopies, none were particularly suited to making a meal out of, so she trecked on, getting lost in the tranquil beauty of the Asgardian forest. The trees soon gave way to mud and rocks and she found herself at a small, rushing waterfall surrounded by slick, dark boulders. A stream cut through teeming with fish and she regretted never learning to catch a fish without a pole like Miroku and Inuyasha had been able to do.

She bent and used her hands to take a drink of the fresh, cool water, watching the aquatic plants anchored into the silty bottom bend with the current.

Standing again, she followed the curve, enjoying the burbling sound of the water and the smell of clean, damp air and soil. She climbed up on a rock clump, careful of the slippery surface, and used the higher vantage point to slowly turn and take in more of the forest scenery.

She caught sight of what appeared to be a bear and stifled a gasp. It was drinking from the stream, and it's body _looked_ like a bear, but it's fur was a pale, dusty grey with mottled white and black spots. She took a slow, measured step back, determined to quickly but quietly exit the bear's premises, but made one grave mistake.

Her foot touched back down on the edge of the boulder she'd forgotten she was perched on, and instead of finding purchase on the forest floor, her toes slipped, sending her tumbling to the ground with a yelp. She lept up and peeked around the boulder, meeting the alert, angry eyes of the bear. She took another step back, trying to be cautious and quiet, but as her luck would have it she broke a twig under foot. The bear's pupils dilated, it's nose twitched as it found her scent, it gave a roar and lunged forward.

Frantic, panicked, desperate, with no time or space to draw an arrow, Kagome turned and ran back toward the castle.

* * *

In a blessedly empty training yard, Loki polished his daggers before hurtling them toward the farthest targets. His attempts to come get his practice in during the morning had been ruined by an overly curious and suspicious Thor talking his ear off and being a distracting nuisance. But now there was no Thor, no anyone, as they were all tucked away somewhere having lunch. Showers and sparks of green magic engulfed his hands as he summoned and slung his daggers in rapid succession, stretching his speed and distance. He brought his arms back to make another throw when a piercing scream rent the air from the forest behind the training yard.

He straightened, firmly gripping his daggers and staring intently into the tree line. Moments later, a figure broke through, running hard straight toward him. He squinted to make out who it was at the distance they were away, and then realization left him shocked.

"Kagome?"

His shock and confusion only multiplied when a giant bear burst out after her and he could only stare, jaw hanging open.

"Loki!" She screamed, and he had a scant second to brace himself before she threw herself at him, wrapping herself around him tightly and his arms locked around her back. "Run run run!"

With little thought he took off, turning away from the entrance to the training room so as not to lead the bear inside and running around the side of the castle. Kagome _clImbed_ him then, and he nearly dropped her as she squirmed higher up his body, wrapping her legs around his ribs and leaving him to loop his arms around her hips. Braced on his shoulder, she pulled an arrow from her quiver and drew a shot, releasing it and then quickly lining up a new shot. Quick as lightening she'd sent several arrows into the bear and brought it down, prompting her to throw her hands up with a whoop of victory as she slowed to a stop.

"Yes! We did it! Loki we stopped it!"

"Would you stop wiggling before I drop you?"

She glanced down, meeting stern green eyes, noticed the... compromising position she'd put them in, and her face flamed a dark red.

"Uh... oh... oh gods I'm sorry! I... _put me down_!"

Loki rolled his eyes and helped her slide down his body, keeping his hands firmly on her shoulders to help her find her footing. She tried to side step him, but his kept his grip on her. When she looked back at him questioningly, he scowled darkly, feeling internally amused as she shuffled her feet like a naughty child.

"What _the hell _was that??"

She gulped, twisting the end of her shirt in her hands, looking everywhere but in his eyes.

"Uh... a bear?"

He stepped back, hands on his hips, face incredulous. She finally met his eyes again and flushed, ensnared by their frustrated gleam.

"Wrong answer."

She pursed her lips, reluctant to speak, feeling silly and incensed.

"Um, it was-"

"Ah, ah, I can already tell you're trying to lie."

She deflated, resigned to revealing her new secret hobby.

"Fine. I scared it."

"The _whole_ truth please."

She stuck her tongue out like a petulant child, anger making her cheeks a cute, vibrant pink.

"Alright then jerk! I was out hiking today and I came across a little river while I was hunting. The bear was drinking and I fell. The noise I made scared it. Happy?"

No, he wasn't. That created more questions than it answered. Hiking in the woods was one thing but why in the name of sanity was she _hunting?_They had a perfectly well stocked kitchen.

Suddenly she gasped and shot ramrod straight.

"Oh no! I've got to put out my fire!"

"Your _what_?"

She ran past him, back in the direction of the place she'd exited the trees and before he could stop himself, Loki found he was running after her. She didn't stop again until they came upon a little clearing with a small, bright little fire flickering in the center, a pile of bright red berries resting nearby, supply pack slouched against a tree and a cloak hung from an overhead branch.

It was a camp sight, small as it was, and he glanced over at Kagome, eyeing her, once again seeing her almost in a new light.

"Oh good," she breathed in relief, one hand fluttering over her heart, chest heaving from all the exertion of running. "It didn't spread. Guess I should put it out and...unless..."

She glanced over at him, and he almost felt uneasy.

"Unless?"

"Do you... want to have lunch with me? I haven't got to actually hunt yet, but it won't take me long!"

As this had already been the weirdest half hour of his life, he could do nothing but agree, and in short order she two birds shot, cleaned and roasting over her little fire. He watched her putter around with the ease of experience and he wondered. She never said much about her life before coming to Asgard, only dropping little details and anecdotes here or there. He'd seen her clam up when Thor or his mother asked her questions, probing for more information. He'd never been very curious himself, but now...

Her eyes were a bright, sparkling, excited blue as they met his as she handed him his share of the food.

"It's been so long since I've done this with someone else! I used to eat around the fire with friends all the time. I've missed it."

Yes, _now_ he was curious. He gave her a small, answering smile and she dug in, content to eat in silence, for which he was glad.

She had a story, one he was certain would be interesting. One he might endeavor to discover. One he was sure would be worth the effort if he did.


	21. Chapter20

_A.N.: The Chaos Saga broke **100 reviews **today!!!! Whaaaaat?! I think that calls for a celebratory update!!! I love you all!!! Thank you for loving this story with me, it means so much! _

Kagome hummed through her typical morning routine and skipped to breakfast, exchanging easy greetings with Loki and scrunching her nose at Thor who teased her giddiness.

She filled up on sweet pastries and sipped on a sweet, sugary juice that matched her good mood and continued humming a tune she used to know from Earth but could no longer remember the lyrics for. She skipped back out of the dining room, kissing Frigga's cheek on her way out and made her way back to her room where she put her hair up and changed into her training clothes. She giggled with Dala as she passed her one of the sweet breakfast pastries she'd squirreled away and collected her bow and quiver, and then she skipped and hummed to Frigga's rooms to start her training session.

She hopped lightly through the sitting room and out the garden door, and then glided down the garden path, heart light and soul singing, and then she rounded the corner and it all came screeching to an abrupt, crashing halt when she was greeted not by Frigga's kind, motherly gaze but by the glittering, devious emerald eyes of the Lord of Chaos.

"Uh."

"Hello little priestess. Fancy seeing _you_ here."

She blinked, unable to do anything more through the shock, confusion and mounting nervousness.

This was _not _going to end well, she just knew it.

"Um. I... what?"

"Kagome, Loki, sorry I'm late dears."

Frigga swept in and greeted them both with a kiss on the cheek and then stood next to her son.

"I've asked Loki to join us today. I'd like to increase the difficulty of your defensive training, but I'd like to be only an observer so I can adequately critique you, so I've asked Loki to take my usual place and be the 'attacker.' Is that alright?"

Eyes bugging out of her head and heart beating a hundred miles a minute, Kagome could do little more than nod frantically.

"Wonderful! Let's begin."

* * *

Kagome was not sure what she had expected this training session was going to be like, but it was not was she was currently dealing with. She'd been nervous to train with Loki, who no doubt had received hundreds of years more training than she had, but it wasn't stage fright she was fighting off.

It was staggering overwhelm to feel him and his magic _everywhere_. He sent dagger after dagger at her, ones Frigga insisted be incorporeal for safety's sake, and sometimes he conjured them close enough to her that she could feel the resulting bloom of his aura as his magic crackled into life. She'd fumbled with her first few barrier shields but she'd soon found her stride, rapidly erecting the small, flat barriers at her palms and each of Loki's daggers disappeared on contact with a faint fizzling sound. Frigga stood off to the side and offered helpful criticism on her form and the strength of her own magic, instructing Loki to strengthen his dagger illusion so she'd have to make her shields stronger.

The first newly strengthened dagger slipped through her defenses and then slipped through _her, _a zip of pure _Loki_ shocking through her system and making her gasp. Her spine shot ramrod straight and her breath left her lungs as her heart beat erratically, attempting to regain control of its tempo.

'_Holy shit...'_

"Kagome, are you alright darling?"

Kagome coughed and smiled at Frigga, attempting to appear reassuring but just looking awkward.

"Y-yeah. Yeah I'm fine. That was just... sorry that caught me off guard. It's a good thing we decided against real daggers for now, heh."

She scratched at the back of her head and nodded at Loki to continue, doing her best to disregard the dark way his eyes glittered.

He summoned another dagger and threw it, and she raised a much stronger shield to block it. It worked, but as the illusion of it shattered against her purity it sent another zip up her arm of what she could really only describe as Loki and magic and power. It stole her breath again and she looked at the palm of her hand, brow furrowed in panicked confusion.

She looked up at him, and at first glance he appeared to have no knowledge of her internal struggle. He gazed back at her blandly, one brow cocked and hand on his hip. But his aura writhed with amusement and the hint of a smirk flirted with the corners of his mouth, smug and secret and satisfied.

'_He's playing with me.'_

But to her it was more than that. He'd inadvertently revealed a chink in her armor, so to speak. She had managed to block his main illusion but he'd found a way to sneak past her protective barrier and affect her with his magic anyway.

That would not do at all.

Her face hardened in determination and she brought her hands back up, ready to begin again. He threw another dagger, and this time her barrier was more than adequate enough to completely block out the surge of his power that accompanied it, sending it fizzling out in a burst of green sparks.

He wasted no time, throwing another even stronger than the last but she was ready for it, blocking it completely and destroying it with a surge of reiki.

They continued on for some time, Loki blinking in and out of sight, flickering around her like a green, devious flame and sending daggers of ever increasing strength straight toward her. Kagome combined her physical training she'd been receiving from Sif with her spiritual, using her improved speed and agility to block each of Loki's attempts to best her, pouring more and more reiki into her shields and managing to avoid another one of those distracting little 'zips' of his aura.

Finally her pink shield had been so fortified it was nearly opaque, and Loki's now completely corporeal dagger stuck in its center with a '_thunk_' that shocked her. She stared at it with wide eyes, and then looked back up at Loki who'd begun to slow clap, smiling and seeming to be genuinely impressed. But there was something in his expression, something slight and secret and just... right... _there_ that rang like a warning alarm she was too slow to heed.

A strong arm from behind wrapped around her shoulders and another came around to press a dagger to her throat. She straightened and glanced up, Loki's eyes gleamed down at her a million shades of emerald victory and she realized- with lingering traces of his magic everywhere, leftover from his rapid disappearing and reappearing all around her, she hadn't noticed that he'd switched places with an illusion of himself. He'd used his knowledge of her ability to sense him agaisnt her. He'd _played a trick on her._

Still, her heart raced again, unrelated to her previous physical exertion.

'_Kami-sama... he's so... hott.'_

His dark chuckle vibrated from his chest against her back and sent her thoughts into a tail spin. Tired of being at the mercy of his mischief, Kagome cleared her throat and pushed Loki back with a surge of her reiki and crossed her arms with a huff at the now openly chuckling prince who was supposed to be helping her train but had decided to play a practical joke instead.

"Ha ha, very funny. Jerk. You overwhelmed my spiritual senses."

"You'll just have to learn to rely on your other senses then, dear." Frigga replied as she joined them once again from her place on the side lines.

"That was marvelous you two! And now we know you need to learn how to fall back on your basic senses in case someone is able to sneak past your priestess awareness. Though I'm sure there are few who could manage such a thing, it's best to be prepared for any circumstance. Do tell Sif to add that to your combat training, and I'll work on it with you as well. Now, I think that's enough for today. Loki, be a darling and take Kagome back to her rooms to freshen up for lunch!"

He offered his arm and she took it, forcing her breathing and heart to even out, praying silently he wouldn't notice how much he affected her, cursing herself for developing a crush.

Because she would have to admit it now.

Fandral was right.

She had a _crush._ On _Loki_.

'_Dammit_.'

His aura flared and brightened with so many things, clouding her mind and fogging her senses.

It felt like he knew something, held one of her secrets that she hadn't yet shared. And perhaps he did, he was certainly clever enough. She pushed it all away, refused to panic about it. She was tired and hungry and would worry about crushes on insufferable princes later.

He took her to her door, gave a little bow and she cursed her blushing cheeks as she bid him goodbye, and then she slipped into her bath to soak her cares away.

_A.N.: I had someone ask about the bear last chapter so here's some "behind the scenes" insights. It was discovered by a servant who had it taken to the kitchens. It was made into stew and fed to the soldiers. They just assume Thor had something to do with it because he is weird. The bear had no cubs, so no orphans were made in the writing of that chapter. Also no bears were harmed since this is fiction lmao _


	22. Chapter21

_A.N.: I cannot express enough how much each and every single one of your reviews means to me. I don't respond to each one because I am an awkward over-thinker who would rather walk into traffic than be annoying (lmao) BUT I READ THEM OVER AND OVER. Really, you guys are the Bee's Knees and the Cat's Pajamas and All That Jazz and a whole bunch of other really nice things. Onward!_

The palace had been bustling for weeks prepping for the banquet tonight and things had reached a fever pitch in the final hours before "showtime." Kagome found herself alone in her rooms grasping for a few minutes of quiet to gather her nerves and sanity. Royal banquets and parties were fairly old hat to her at this point, but there was something about this one that had her on edge. One of the attending families had some sort of secret information that Odin wanted, but he also needed to stay in their good graces, so Thor was going to stick to his side to play dutiful heir and Loki had been assigned to corner one of the dignitary's sons and finesse the secret out of him.

Loki had, of course, been incensed that he'd been once again shoved into the shadows when his place should have _also_ been at his father's other side. Kagome had tried to help, saying she could tell when someone was lying as well as Loki could and could do the job instead, but her reputation for being a nervous rambler preceded her even all these years later and she had been refused. So now her very best friend was going to be busy, Loki would be "on the job" as well, and she was left to entertain herself. There was always The Warriors Three, but they always spent the evening getting drunk off their rockers and she simply could not handle getting wasted on Asgardian strength alcohol yet.

So she would be mostly left to her own devices, bored and alone, to hopefully not make a total fool of herself in front of the wrong people.

Her door opened and Dala entered with a stack of folded garments and a silk bag of hair pins.

"Time to get ready!"

Kagome slouched in her vanity chair, her dread for the night overtaking her.

"Oh Dala, I wish _you_ could come tonight. I _hate_ these official royal things, especially when I have to entertain myself the whole night. They're so boring. I wish this was just a regular party with everyone."

Dala wrinkled her nose and began laying out hair combs and jeweled pins on the vanity top.

"I'm sorry you'll be bored Lady Kagome but I can't say I'm sorry I won't be there. These sorts of things sound absolutely dreadful."

"I wish you'd stop calling me that. We've been friends for how long now? You know you can drop the formality."

Dala stuck her nose in the air as she began dragging one of the combs through Kagome's hair.

"I must set an example for my fellow maids. If I can get away with being so casual with you, they'll think they all can."

"They can!" Kagome groaned, tired of the constant fight to shake the reverence the palace workers afforded her. It was undeserved in her opinion. She caught Dala's gaze in the mirror and noticed the twinkle in her handmaid's brown eyes.

"I knew it, you just like getting on my nerves!"

Dala twisted a length of black silk hair up and pinned it in place with a sparkly pin and chuckled.

"I can neither confirm nor deny any such accusations _my lady_."

"Oh whatever!"

Dala laughed outright at Kagome's grumpy frown and continued her work until her lady shined like the rest of Asgard.

* * *

She was early, which was a miracle. She was usually rushing to get to the door to enter with the rest of the family, but this time she had a chance to breath in some stillness on her own first. She closed her eyes and centered herself, calming her nervousness and reassuring herself that she'd grown so much over the last century, she had no reason to fear making any sort of _real_ blunder today. She'd just be bored, no big deal.

An aura she didn't quite recognize, but felt like she should, washed over her and her eyes popped open. Sauntering down the hall right toward her was a tall, slender woman that she felt certain she should recognize but couldn't place. She felt her eyes bug out and her jaw drop, but she quickly clicked it closed and shook herself a little.

This woman definitely looked familiar, and her brain struggled to rapidly sort through all the knowledge it had collected since coming here to try and place a name with the woman who had stopped to fix her hair in a nearby mirror on the wall.

_'Come on Kagome, think!'_

Suddenly a certain portrait of a surly, burly bride and a radiantly beaming bridesmaid came to her. Dumbstruck, she felt the woman's aura one more time to be sure. And sure enough, once she got passed the distinctly feminine feel that usually wasn't there, she could sense the unmistakable feel of-

"Loki!" She gasped, and an undeniable pair of glittering green eyes shifted to her and away from the mirror.

"Yes?"

Eyes bugging again, Kagome blinked and felt her cheeks warm.

"You... you're... I mean..."

"Yeeesss???" She drawled, amusement brightening her smooth, feminine tone.

"You're a woman!"

Loki turned completely from the mirror, crossing her arms under her- Kagome's eyes shot right back up to those emerald eyes, the only thing that really hadn't changed, and forced her mind back from it's stupor.

"Astute observation indeed little priestess. Did your... _special abilities _tell you that?"

Kagome blinked again, irritation at being teased clearing her mind a little. She huffed and crossed her own arms, Loki's smirk was just as smug this way as it usually was.

"_No_. Sorry I just, Ive only seen that one picture of you... like this."

Loki shrugged and turned back to the mirror, making sure each and every strand of silky black hair was in place.

"Yes well, I suppose I haven't felt like this for a while."

Kagome noted that Loki's aura was agitated just the slightest bit and tilted her head.

"You haven't... felt like it?"

Green eyes snared her own again and she was helpless to do anything but hang on every word.

"Yes. Most of the time I am a son of Odin, Prince of Asgard, god of mischief. Sometimes I feel more like this. Or sometimes it is simply to my benefit."

Kagome nodded in understanding. That was simple enough, but there was something...

"So tonight... you don't feel like a beautiful woman tonight?"

Loki's eyes widened just a little, almost unnoticeably so.

"No. And I don't like using this form for someone _else's_ benefit."

Kagome's brow furrowed in confusion as she tried to figure out that last statement.

"Someone else?"

"I am certain you remember my father's task for me tonight? I must entertain that witless moron coming with his equally witless father and trick him into revealing whatever secret bit of information my father is convinced he's hiding. Unfortunately for me this evening, the fool's preferences run in only one direction and I um unlikely to succeed any other way but this."

Heart stopping for a moment in horror, Kagome covered her mouth with her hands.

"He's... he's making you... you have to..."

Loki snorted and began straightening the black silk of her dress.

"_No_. It's never come to _that_ unless I _wished_ it too."

Suddenly Loki was in front of her, leaning over her, green eyes glimmering, trapping her like a snake hunting a hapless little rabbit and her heart sped up and beat hard in her chest.

"There is a _reason_ I am known across the realms for my slick tongue little priestess. You need not concern yourself for me on _that_ score."

Loki backed away, grinning devilishly at the blushing mess she'd been left in, chuckling internally as she straightened and covered her cheeks.

Kagome cleared her throat and took a deep breath, desperate to get her heart under control.

'_Holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit...'_

"Yes well! Alright then. I think I understand now. It's objectifying then, isn't it? I understand how _that_ feels."

Loki sobered, eyebrows lifting as she considered the human priestess for a moment.

"Yes, I suppose that would be an accurate way to describe it. In any case, I have a job to do, no matter how I feel about it."

Kagome nodded and wondered for a moment how much longer they had before the others arrived.

"So, is there something else I should call you? Another name?"

"No, why should there be?"

She paused for a moment, looking for the right words.

"I don't know, I just didn't know if you preferred to be called something different."

"Just Loki is fine. I am always _me_."

'_Well that would explain why my heart won't stop racing, I did just recently realize I have... certain feelings for Loki... and this IS still Loki, no matter how the outside looks.'_

She smiled sweetly, her blue eyes glowing and Loki blinked in surprise.

"Alright then. Well, you look lovely tonight Loki."

Loki's eyes widened in shock and she watched Kagome walk down the hall to greet a newly arrived Thor. Turning back to the little mirror, she noted the faint sheen of red that had spread over her cheeks.

'_Am I... I am NOT blushing!'_

Eyes narrowing dangerously, she cut her gaze back over, watching Thor and Kagome laughing and joking as they made their way back over toward the door to wait for their parents so they could get this whole thing over with. Kagome glanced back again, noticed Loki watching her, and smiled sincerely, her own cheeks a delicate pink.

'_Devious little human.' _

Then the king and queen arrived, and the banquette began.


	23. Chapter22

_A.N.: is updating every 2 days too often? I have well over half of this story written and ready to go and I'm just so antsy and excited to get it out there and WHAT ELSE do we have to do right now right? RIGHT?! To the commenter who referred to Kagome as Lokisexual: sweet lord, aren't we all? _

_One last note: this chapter was inspired by the fact that I'm currently reading THREE Hades/Persephone web comics right now lmao _

In the quiet lull of the evening before dinner, when the light of day faded to a warm golden glow and the hustle and bustle of life slowed to a lazy crawl, Kagome ordered a cup of tea to be brought to her in the library. It was the most glorious evening to sit and read for a while, so she made her way to the small, private library in the family wing, chose a book at random from the romance shelf, and entered the little alcove off to the side that always had a roaring fire in the fireplace, and soft cushions couches and chairs.

She bounced in humming quietly under her breath but stopped abruptly when she found she was not alone.

Occupying one of the armchairs nearest the fire, his own cup of tea steaming on the side table, Loki sat with his own book open on his lap, one leg crossed and head tilted, resting on one of his fists.

His eyes flashed up to meet hers as she entered and she faltered for a moment, embarrassed to note her heartbeat picking up.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt..."

"You didn't. Come sit." He gestured to the chair across from him and she shuffled inside and sat down, pulling her legs up and folding them under her. A kitchen maid came in then and placed her tea down. Kagome thanked her quietly and cracked her book open to see what she'd blindly chosen.

She chuckled quietly, pleased to see it was a tale from another culture entirely, a little amused to see just _which _story it was.

'_Hades And Persephone, eh?__ Well at least I like this story.'_

She made it through a few pages before her attention began straying to the god sharing the reading nook with her. The fire had limned his features in a soft, flickering gold and her breath fell short at how beautiful he looked. Her heart skipped again and she could feel her cheeks heat with a blush.

'_Thank Kami he cant hear my heart beating faster. A definite plus side to no longer being around Youkai ears.' _She thought, looking back down at her book, missing the way Loki's mouth twitched up in an amused grin.

She did her best to ignore him as she read some more, and truly she was fascinated by her book even though she knew the story already. Having met Hades herself lent a whole new dimension to it since she had a face to place on at least one of the character. Her curiosity ignited again and she snuck another glance at Loki. He had probably met them before, Thor had said things here and their that led her to believe that all the seperate pantheons had had at least some contact over the eons, and now she itched to ask questions.

"Um..."

He looked up at her immediately, expression open and inquiring, and she blushed again before quietly clearing her throat.

"So Uh, have you met them?"

She held up her book so he could see the title page and he took a moment to scan over it before his eyes lit up in recognition.

"Ah, Kore and Aidoneus. Yes, I've met them."

"Oh? How interesting." She chirped, sitting up straighter in her seat, and Loki snapped his book closed with a wry smile.

"I take it you have a thousand questions. Alright, let's have it."

Kagome clapped her hands together, and then repositioned herself and Loki smiled a little despite himself at how excited she was.

"Thank you so much! Okay, what are they like? Have you met any other Greek Gods?"

"I've met most of them. Kore and Aidoneus are less objectionable than most of the others."

Kagome giggled, not surprised to find he didn't like most of them.

"I met Hades during my brief visit to Olympus. I liked him much better than Zeus and Hera, that's for sure. Alright next question, did he really kidnap Persephone, or is that more Earth stuff we got wrong?"

Loki shrugged and picked up his tea, taking a sip of his tea.

"I don't know. I don't care enough to meddle in the personal lives of others. Does it matter?"

"I don't know, I guess not. It's just, we're told he did. We're also told they love each other. I've been kidnapped a few times by people who wanted to marry me and there's only one person that wouldn't have been a disaster with so, I guess it's a good thing it turned out okay for her. Unless they _aren't_ in love?"

Loki eyed her in shock.

'_She's been kidnapped for marriage... more than once?' _He found himself once again curious about the life she'd led before she'd been dropped in all of their laps. But that was for another time.

"They seemed content enough last time I was in their company."

"Alright. Are all the gods the same species?"

He was a bit caught off guard by the abrupt shift, but this was something he was better equipped to answer over questions about the messy personal relationships between gods.

"Yes. We're all the same."

Wide eyed, Kagome leaned forward a little, completely rapt.

"Even the ones that don't look... well... like you?"

"You mean like a _human beings?_"

She giggled a little and shrugged, it was as good a way to describe it as any.

"The answer is yes, even those who look very different are all the same. I am a shapeshifter by nature, and can therefore take any form I please for any reason, but all gods have at least some small bit of control over their appearance, and can take at least one alternate form, depending on which aspects they embody. Some I se this ability more liberally than others, as I'm sure you noticed. It's why my father appears old despite being as immortal and ageless as the rest of us. He enjoys how 'distinguished' he thinks it makes him look."

He rolled his eyes and Kagome laughed, amused that it seemed that Odin had a similar flare for drama as his youngest son, though she would never say that out loud.

"I had wondered why he looked so old compared to the rest of you. How funny. So, what kind of occasions do you have to see the other gods? Do you go visit?"

He wrinkled his nose and she erupted in another fit of giggles.

"Certainly not. We don't generally like mingling too much, we're all pretty well meant to stay in our own territories. But every once in a while we all come together out of necessity. Well, those of us who have anything to do with humanity anymore. I usually skip it unless it's held here. Come to think of it, I believe it is our turn to host the next Council of Gods. That should be coming up soon. You're in luck."

He found himself smiling again at how starry eyed she looked, excitement making her face glow. His own curiosity got the best of him then.

"Now, as I've answered all of _your_ questions, I'd like to ask some of my own."

She gulped and sat back, spine rigid with nerves and he noticed she began picking at the trailing hem of one of her sleeves.

"Oh? Questions? For me?"

"Yes. Who kidnapped you?"

"Which time?"

"Any time."

She met his eyes and he could see the deeply buried agony shimmering dangerously, threatening to spill over and run down her cheeks. It was a breathtaking swing from her previously bubbly mood.

"I... um. I just, I haven't spoken of... that time in so long. I've been so scared if I do, I'll lose all the progress I've made here. They are... bittersweet memories, heavy on the bitter. I don't know if I can share them... not yet."

He could tell she was embarrassed, probably for being so emotional in front of him. He knew he wasn't always the easiest person to talk to, and he'd given her a hell of a time speaking with him in the first place.

"Was it not you who reminded me of the importance of story telling? Of its life saving abilities as well as its use in entertainment? Memories are only stories we have lived ourselves, sharing the heavy ones can not weaken us, it simply lightens the load on our shoulders."

Her blue eyes lit up like she'd had an epiphany, and he could admit to himself the way they sparkled was charming. She seemed to make a decision then, meeting his gaze with determination. She opened her mouth to speak, and a servant interrupted them to inform them that it was time for dinner.

The atmosphere between them was shattered, but as Kagome took his offered arm and allowed him to escort her to the dining room, she smiled up at him gratefully.

"Thank you Loki."

He simply grinned back, and they continued on their way.


	24. Chapter23

_A.N.: hey guys, if any of you are on tumblr, come follow me at mrfeenysmustache! I'm only just starting to share FanFiction stuff there because I am old, uncool and behind the times, but I share a lot of fandom stuff and we could chat lmao alright enough of that, let's get to the good stuff. _

Brimming with excitement, Kagome squirmed in her seat as Dala tried in vain to pin her hair back in a passable style, giggling at her lady's tendency to bounce like a child when she was excited about something.

"Lady Kagome, you really must hold still. Your hair will be mess otherwise!"

"Oh Dala I can't help it, it's my favorite holiday!"

Dala grinned and rolled her eyes. She could just guess why tonight was her favorite. Kagome noticed her smirk in the mirror and crossed her arms with a huff.

"Oh wipe that look off your face. That's _not_ why I'm excited. The Feast of Tales is just so different from everything else! _And_ it was my first celebration I ever attended as a brand new Asgardian. It's nostalgic, that's all!"

Cutting her a look through the mirror's reflection, Dala continued to pin back black, silken curls.

"Mmhmm. I absolutely believe that."

"Well what about _you_? Your dress is certainly extra sparkly tonight. Are you planning on seeing a certain someone? _Hmm_?"

Kagome smirked then, watching the red bloom across Dala's cheeks. They'd been talking of her crush on a member of the guard for a while now, and it seemed like he'd finally noticed her sweet lady's maid. She was so very pleased to see her friend getting some happiness.

"He wants me to meet him there."

"Oh Dala, that's wonderful! I'm so happy for you! You _must_ tell me every last detail tomorrow! And let me fix your hair for you!! Oh please!"

Dala grimaced as she thought of all the other times Kagome had tried to fix her hair. Her lady had many talents but hair was.. not one of them.

"Oh, my lady, look at the time! I'm afraid we'll be late if we spend any more time at this vanity. My hair will have to do as it is."

Kagome narrowed her eyes at the nervous energy now radiating around her maid, but decided to drop it. She was right, it was best not to be late.

"Well alright then, next time. Let's go!"

She grabbed her hand and dashed out of her bedroom door, Dala sighing in relief as she allowed herself to be tugged along.

* * *

She was, shockingly, the first to arrive in the little alcove where the family waited to enter banquets and celebrations.

_'I thought Dala said...'_

She peeked out a nearby window and noticed that daylight was not quite done setting, and the Feast of Tales didn't start until the sky was dark. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped as she realized what had just happened.

"That little sneak! I can't believe she managed to lie to me!"

"_Who_ managed to lie to you?"

A shiver ran down her spine as that voice washed over her, one that affected her more than she ever thought it would. Taking a moment to breath deep and still her heart, she turned slowly to discover Loki strolling up the hall to join her, aura bright with secrets and curiosity.

"Oh um... just my lady's maid Dala."

His brow lifted and a slow, devious smirk curled his mouth.

"Your little maid told you a successful lie yet I have never been able to sneak passed your defenses?"

Her breath caught for a moment at the way his eyes gleamed but she pushed passed it. She would _not_ ramble like a fool in front of him at this point.

"I um... I just wasn't paying attention. I could tell she was nervous, but I thought it had to do with seeing the guy she likes tonight."

"And what, pray tell, did she lie to you about?"

She blushed, feeling a little silly about the whole thing.

"I wanted to fix her hair but... I'm not very good at it."

He laughed a full, genuine laugh of amusement. No deviousness, no satisfaction for a prank well pulled, just sheer amusement and his face lit up so well she was stunned again.

'_Dear Kami, I have got to get myself under control around him.'_

He grinned down at her with an unusual glimmer in his eye and she cleared her throat to push passed how tied up her tongue suddenly felt.

"So, do you know who you're picking for tonight's Story Teller?"

He turned and leaned against the window frame next to her, crossing his arms casually and staring up at the ceiling as if in thought.

"Oh, I have some ideas. Of course I won't be revealing them to _you_. You'll have to be as shocked as everyone else."

"Well I can't wait! This is my favorite holiday, you know?"

She's almost shocked by the soft sincerity in his aura, of the softness of his face when he stared down at her again, but she's mostly taken again by how utterly beautiful he is.

"Thank you Kagome. You look beautiful this evening."

Her mind screeches to crashing halt as the rest of the family arrives and she stumbles inside the banquet hall.

* * *

The Feast of Tales always took her breath away. It really was so very different from every other party they had, and though this was far from her first Feast of Tales, it still managed to leave her absolutely stunned every time.

She heard Fandral laughing at her from the corner table they were hunkered in, sharing bottles of wine and plates heaped with food.

"What is it now?"

"You're just sitting there looking utterly lovesick. It must be _dreadful _knowing you won't see get to see your handsome prince until nearly the end of the night!"

"Can it, jerk! That's not it and you know it!" She shouted over Fandral's cackling.

Sif rolled her eyes and leaned over into her side.

"Ignore him Kagome, he's always been a horrible tease. There's no need to be embarrassed about your feelings."

"Not you too! You're supposed to be on my side!"

Sif grinned, and Fandral erupted into another round of hysterics at her expense.

"Well you do spend a lot more time with him." Sif said.

"_And _you're always so blushy and giggly, you can't possibly have me still believe you aren't madly in love with him."

Kagome stuck her nose in the air with a 'hmmph,' done with Fandral and his incessant need to tease her about the younger prince of Asgard and what he perceived to be her feelings for him.

'_Not that he's wrong, but I'm not telling him anything yet_!'

"If it makes you feel better, I think he likes you too."

Her head snapped back around, face slack with shock, thoughts a jumbled mess.

"You... what?"

Fandral reclined in his chair with a victorious smirk, no doubt feeling like he'd gotten as good of a confession out of her as she'd give, but she ignored it in favor of the last thing he said.

"It's just that he treats you in a way he doesn't treat anyone else. Not since, what was her name? Sigyn? Until she ran off with that one guy."

"He's got... some kind of point, shocking as it is."

Kagome certainly trusted Syf's opinion over Fandral's but her heart had been down this road before, looking for signs that weren't there yet seeing them anyway, and she wasn't going to leap into that sort of thing again.

She sighed in relief when Thor, Hogun, and Voldstagg returned to the table with more platters piled with food.

"What did we miss?" Asked Thor, taking a seat next to Kagome and immediately tearing into a large chunk of meat.

"Nothing! You missed absolutely nothing!"

She hissed, cutting Fandral a dangerous look at his continued chuckling, then sighing in relief again as the lighting shifted and Loki took center stage.

"Oh thank Kami, time to start."

She dashed to the center of the room to join the gathering crown, all buzzing with anticipation at who the God of Stories would choose to tell the featured tale of the Feast of Tales.

Loki banged the end of his scepter the customary three times against the floor and then the blue flame capping it snuffed out and ignited the candles around the story stage. Then his eyes, endlessly glittering emeralds, scanned slowly across the crown once, twice, setting nerves on edge as the excited tension in the atmosphere sharpened.

Finally his gaze settled on his choice, and Kagome felt every cell in her body screech to a grinding halt when his scepter pointed... _to her_.

The crowd stepped back and she glanced around frantically, watching their retreat with a growing seed of panic taking root in her gut.

Her eyes flicked back to Loki's, and his stare was deep and unflinching. She pointed to herself, head tilted in question, and he gave her a shallow but resolute nod. She gulped and made her way numbly to the Story Stage, stepping up on the platform and then turning to the stage where he'd returned to the golden throne. Her breath came in quick shallow pants around the tight knot of fear in her chest. She'd never been a bad public speaker, had never had much of a problem having the attention of a room, and if she was going to tell any old story about anything then this would probably be a blast.

But she knew what he wanted. He'd pretty much told her outright those few weeks ago in the library.

He didn't want any story, he wanted _her_ story.

'_Memories are only stories we have lived ourselves, sharing the heavy ones can not weaken us, it simply lightens the load on our shoulders.'_

His words of encouragement came back and she felt a measure of strength bleed back into her heart.

Very few here would know that the tale she spun was true, was hers. The others would be entertained and it would be forgotten after a long night of drinking.

She took another glance around and met Frigga's sweet, smiling face.

She'd been the last winner they'd had in probably a millennia, and she'd told a love story.

Her eyes fluttered closed and a pair of bright golden eyes burned as bright in her memory as they had in real life. Her heart skipped the barest of beats for her first love, now long gone and lost to her, probably finally joined with _his_ love in the afterlife.

'_Okay. I can do this. And if it's a love story he wants, it's a love story he'll get. One that ends in tragedy.'_

She opened her eyes, her features now hard with determination and she was certain she saw satisfaction and- was that pride?- flashing in the depths of his emerald gaze.

She straightened her spine, took one last breath, and began.

"Once upon a time... there was... a boy. A sad, lonely, outcast boy..."

And so she finally relived those grueling days on the shard hunt, starting at the very beginning with Inuyasha and Kikyo, the first betrayal, the sealing sleep, and ending with her shattered hopes, a fearsome battle, and a cruel, manipulative jewel that tore her away from all she'd ever known. The room remained silent through her speech, and even after she was done, not a sound was heard through the entirety of the hall. She wiped at the tears tracking down her cheeks, tears she hadn't realized she'd been crying, and then found Loki's impenetrable stare again.

He stood, walked several paces to the end of the dias, and raised his scepter above his head. The blue flames around the stage snuffed out and lept to the scepter and then reignited with a bright, cheery yellow. A roaring applause ripped through the room and then Thor was lifting her from the stage, spinning her around, laughing and congratulating her. He sat her down and the crowd parted to allow Frigga through. She walked up with purpose and the sweetest, proudest expression. She cradled her face even as Kagome's confusion mounted.

"My girl, I'm so very proud of you. All you've been through, all you've overcome. If anyone deserves this tonight it is you."

Kagome felt another tear slip free and shook her head.

"I don't understand."

A servant walked up with a cushion holding a simple crown flickering with familiar blue flames and she felt like she finally understood.

"Wait... I won?!"

Frigga placed the crown on her head and she was swamped with friends, family and even strangers come to give her hugs, congratulations and slaps on the back.

Loki watched her from the dias, feeling an even deeper level of respect for the girl grow and warm him.

He'd known her story would be something interesting, but he hadn't known just _how _interesting. And she'd told it with such heart and soul he'd been loath to look away for even a moment.

An offhand comment Thor had made some months ago that he'd paid no mind to at the time came back to him.

'..._don't be surprised if she sneaks up on you. Kagome can have that affect.'_

His eyes widened marginally, and he noticed the softness in his heart when he looked at her.

'_Damn him.'_ He'd been warned, he hadn't listened, and now, his heart was tied up somewhere he had never intended for it to go.

He watched her spin around to face him, watched her eyes light up, watched her face go soft with a sweet smile just for him, he thought of all the hints she'd been dropping whether she realized she was doing it or not, he thought... of her, her wit, her fire, her power, her sweetness.

_'I suppose I... have grown soft on her. It could be worse.'_

He stepped off the dias and strode towards her, relishing her deepening blush, her silent, secret prayer that she not make a fool of herself.

It was customary to personally greet his winners after all.

And most importantly, he had a priestess to catch, to maybe make his own.

She certainly looked good in a crown.


	25. Chapter24

Another sparkling day.

The weather on Asgard was always so far past beautiful, even the rain was gorgeous.

'_Asgard is like Earth, but photoshopped._' Kagome snickered to herself, swinging her basket in one hand and brushing the hair out of her face with another, tilting her head back to let the warm air and cool breeze mingle on her skin.

_'It is absolutely the perfect day to go see Heimdall, I bet the bifrost looks especially beautiful today!'_

She skipped ahead down the rough, foot worn path that cut through the kitchen garden, the closest exit from the castle to out-of-doors after her stop through the pantries.

Every once in a while she liked to bring lunch to Heimdall, maybe have a picnic with him when he felt like humoring her. He didn't get enough visitors and he worked _way_ to hard in her opinion. Always loyal, always faithful, the best of the best on the front lines of security, but he deserved to have a break here and there too.

She hummed something under her breath, another old Earth song she'd long forgotten the words for and breathed in the life and vitality of the world around her.

"Going to the stables as well?"

"WAAHH!" With a very graceful flail and spin, Kagome met Loki's smug, insufferable look with a formidable glare.

"_How did you_\- oh. It's a clone." She flicked her fingers in its face and sent a wave of reiki out, shattering the aura-less illusion while the real Loki stepped out from behind a bush, laughing hysterically and feeling much too proud.

"That's not fair _or _funny."

"Oh I don't know about that, little priestess. It's certainly funny from where I'm standing."

She crossed her arms and tapped her foot while he collected himself, and she internally chided herself for being so distracted he was able to sneak up on her.

"You're lucky I didn't drop my basket. And to answer your question, no, I'm not going to the stables. I'm going to see Heimdall."

He eyed her curiously for a moment and she tried not to squirm.

"And you're walking?"

"Yes. Why wouldn't I?"

"The bifrost is long."

"Well, I don't have any other way to go. I'm certainly not going to commandeer a ship, it's not _that_ far."

He stepped closer and she smacked his hand away when he tried to lift the cloth on her basket and peek inside.

"Why do you not take a horse like every other mildly sane being does when crossing the bridge?"

"Uh... I don't mind walking."

He circled her, and tendrils of amusement, interest and secrecy brushed against her awareness.

"That's only a half truth. Ah, I see, you don't know _how_ to ride a horse, do you?"

She tilted her chin up, stubbornly refusing to give into her rankled nerves and let the butterflies in her stomach consume her.

"Who cares about riding horses? Walking is good for you anyway."

"You've been here much too long to have never ridden a horse. That will not do, not at all."

He stopped in front of her, and his rapid shift from up-to-something to genuinely earnest was dizzying. He held out a hand to her.

"Come."

She hesitated, gingerly placing her hand in his, blushing as her fingers tingled where they touched his skin.

"I will teach you. Then no more long walks down the bifrost." He tugged her along, not releasing her hand, showing no mercy for the torrent of emotion wizzing through her that she prayed he didn't notice.

"Oh that's... it's really okay, you don't have to do that. I _really _do like walking."

He glanced back over his shoulder, and his grin could only be described as lascivious.

"Then I guess I'll simply have to take you for a ride."

She squeaked and blushed so brightly Loki _almost _felt worried she might keel over. But she hurried along beside him, eyes wide and sparkly with embarrassment, meeting a challenge head on despite her uncertainty. It was an admirable quality.

"Wait here."

He left her in the grassy field next to the stables and went in to collect his horse. He'd been on his way to groom him, something his father had always expected of them despite having a groomer on staff, when he'd ran into Kagome and decided to mess up her plans for the day and turn them toward him.

When he returned, horse fully prepared and ready to go, she'd placed her basket on the ground and had started twisting the hem of her training tunic in her nervousness.

Another habit of hers he found charming.

"Here we are."

She stood there, heart hammering away in her chest trying to ignore Loki's smirk or the casual way he stood with his arms crossed, looking broad shouldered and way too beautiful for words and '_Kami-sama HOW do I get myself in these messes?!'_

"Oh stop being such a skittish little mouse. Up you go."

He grasped her around her waist and lifted her effortlessly, placing her on the saddle and giving her no time to recover before he swung himself up behind her.

She went rigid as his arms came around to hold the reigns. He flicked them and his horse began a calm trot, and he turned them in a wide circle around the field.

He transferred the reigns to one hand and looped the other back around Kagome's waist, pulling her back against his chest and leaning forward enough to speak into her ear.

"Relax, or you'll fall right off."

She gripped his arm with a shuddering breath and nodded, relaxing back into him a little more and he pushed them on a little faster. They left the little field behind, and he steered them away from the palace and the city to a nearby meadow where there would be plenty of room to run and feel the wind on their faces.

He didn't often ride for pleasure's sake, but one glance down at the head of glossy black hair tucked close under his chin and he felt that this was a worthy exception.

Kagome did her best to hold on for the ride and hold on to her heart which threatened to beat right out of her chest, but Loki was solid and steady at her back and the view of the sun warmed landscape rushing by was breathtaking. A wide, wonderstruck smile stretched across her face, the thrill of riding and the fuzzies brought on by Loki's extremely close proximity leaving her light headed.

Her laugh was bright and clear and Loki smiled indulgently at the sound of it. He really _had_ gone soft on her. She turned to look back at him, eyes glowing, smile so honest he felt his heart skip and he pulled her even closer, much closer than strictly necessary.

But she hunkered down, and laid her head back on his shoulder, fully at east and with complete trust, and it warmed him.

He didn't mind going soft at all.

* * *

They'd slowed to a lazy pace, clomping along, enjoying the weather, enjoying the company, and Kagome had stopped feeling panicked and instead felt excited and jittery in all the best ways. She was pleasantly surprised to see him steering them toward the bifrost which glowed and glittered under the bright afternoon sunlight. He sped them back up and the horse ran the long length of the bifrost, leaving Kagome awed at the beauty of it racing by underfoot.

_'It's like Mariokar_t' she giggled secretly to herself.

When they'd reached the end, Loki slid off the saddle and helped her down, and she brightened even more when he didn't immediately climb back on and race off.

"You're staying?"

"Well I can't bring you all this way and not take you back."

Her grin had grown so large it nearly ached.

"Oh wait, my basket! I forgot-"

With a showy flourish Loki produced her basket seemingly out of thin air and she took it with apparent amazement.

"Thank you so much, this has been so much fun."

His face was soft, his eyes were warm, her cheeks burned and she suddenly felt shy to have him looking at her this way.

"It was my pleasure, Kagome."

"Well now you have to join us." She quickly grabbed his and and pulled him along to the bifrost gate and he followed, helpless to do anything else, unwilling to try.

"Heimdall! We've come to visit! Break time!"

"Hello little princess, my prince. To what do I owe the pleasure of your presence?"

"One: don't call me that. Two: break time. Come eat!"

"My task is unceasing, my guard must never break, my eyes must alway be upon the safety of-"

"Break. Time. Now."

Loki watched on in amusement as Heimdall gave in with a bare sigh and Kagome laid out the treats she'd brought. She bossed them both into sitting near, easily coaxed them into conversation, made the whole silly set up feel rich and serene. Even Heimdall seemed relaxed.

'_I've misjudged her for a very long time_.' Loki thought, watching her face light up as she told some story or other, admiring the silky fall of her hair.

'_Indeed, she is a remarkable little woman.'_


	26. Chapter25

_A.N.: at this point I'm sure we've all heard the shocking news about the Inuyasha sequel we will be getting in the future. There has been some info released that I'm not happy about, and some that seems sort of alright. __The fandom is in a tizzy to be sure. We must all hold each other in these uncertain times._

A nap in the family gardens, that's exactly what the day called for. She'd felt lazy, bored and tired all day, useless with her training sessions and antsy at any attempts to sit and focus on something. So it was time to trek into the warmth and fresh air and sleep it off.

There was a particular tree that was perfect to nap under. No gnarly roots, broad limbs and thick foliage that offered perfect shade, and soft, fragrant grass to protect from the dirt. She picked up her pace, her desire to sleep growing just thinking about it.

However, she was shocked to find her favorite tree already in use when she got there.

Leaning against the trunk, reading in the shade, was Loki.

_Lady _Loki.

'_Oh_...'

She thought momentarily about turning around and trying to nap elsewhere, but desire to sleep quickly turned into desire-to-hang-out-with-Loki, and since Loki had felt no shame in bombarding her on her last little outing, she felt no shame bombarding this one, so she closed the gap and sat nearby.

"Whatcha reading?"

Loki startled a little but recovered with a smile, turning the page of her book blindly.

"Nothing of any consequence. What brings you to the garden today?"

"This is my tree. I was going to take a nap but you beat me here."

"_Your_ tree? I thought these trees belonged to mother."

Feeling impish, Kagome leaned closer and lowered her voice like she was imparting a great secret.

"That's just what she wants you to think. But this tree is mine, it told me so."

"So you can talk to trees now, can you?" Loki replied, eyes glittering in that way that left Kagome hypnotized.

"No, but I have questions."

"About?"

"_You_, duh."

Leaning back, Loki looked a little wary as she took in the way Kagome bounced like an eager child.

"Should I be nervous? Am I being led into a trap, little mouse?"

With a bright giggle, Kagome waved off her concern.

"As if I could successfully set a trap for _you_. Maybe Thor. No I just have questions about what it's like to be a shapeshifter."

"Well I certainly know a thing or two about that."

"Mhmm." Kagome tapped her chin, taking a moment to think on how to begin and how to lead this to where she wanted it. "Alright first question: what do you _really_ look like?"

Loki straightened a little, frowning in confusion.

"Come again?"

"Is there an appearance you were born with or do you pick how you want to look always? Like, right now, or when you're in your male appearance, did you pick those faces because you liked them? Or are they your real faces? How do I know you aren't actually a big bird or something?"

Loki's expression cleared and she chuckled a little, she'd never thought about it that way, being a shapeshifter was just in her nature of course, so it wasn't confusing from her own perspective.

"Ah, I see. You could say that this and my other usual form are how I really look. Anything else is a projection. Sometimes I become something else, when it suits me. Sometimes it's nothing more than an illusion."

Kagome's eyes roved over her, and she welcomed the pleasant thrill it sent up her spine.

"Okay, so this is one of your default settings. Interesting."

"Default settings? I suppose that's accurate enough."

"Your hair is much longer this way."

"Indeed it is."

"It's very pretty."

"I... thank you. That's... very sweet."

"Can I touch it?"

"What?"

Kagome smirked as she watched a faint, blink-and-you-miss-it pink wash across Loki's cheeks.

"You can say no, I'd just like to brush it. It looks like silk."

Loki bristled a little that someone had so thoroughly thrown her off her guard, but without a word she turned and her eyes fluttered closed as Kagome's fingers began dragging through the length of her hair.

"Oh _wow,_ it's so soft!"

"Is it really so different from yours?"

"Yes!"

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, Loki growing drowsy with the rhythmic tugs at her scalp as a certain priestess braided and unbraided her hair, and Kagome trying to slow her heart rate as she played with some of the most beautiful hair she'd ever seen, even including the silken silver strands she'd always eyed with envy on certain old friends of hers.

'_Top three heads of hair, absolutely._'

"You're so _tall_! Even sitting!"

An idea struck Loki like her brother's dumb lightening, and she didn't hesitate to yank the upper hand back from the easily flustered woman who'd managed to fluster _her _this time.

'_Devious little human, indeed."_

Moving quickly, she whipped around, pushed Kagome's back against the tree trunk, and laid her head across her lap, her long, dark tresses fanning out around her. With deep satisfaction she watched as Kagome's cheeks bloomed that charming shade of red she'd been seeing there so often lately.

"You may proceed."

Kagome stared down with wide eyes at Loki's head in her lap, shocked into still silence, unsure what move to make. But the offer of all that glorious hair won out over her tattered nerves and she soon began dragging her fingers through it again.

"Okay. This is fine. This is... just fine."

"Are you alright up there?"

"Yes! Absolutely, never better! Heh heh..."

She gulped and studiously ignored the smug look on Loki's face, instead losing herself in scratching at her scalp and twisting and combing her fingers through her hair.

It wasn't the nap she'd come out here for, but it was a far sight better.

* * *

Loki woke feeling blissful, content and warm. She glanced up and found Kagome still asleep, leaned back against the sturdy trunk of the tree they were under. The soft, golden light of early evening filtered through the treetops, dappling across her cheeks like freckles made of starlight, and Loki grinned at the delicate picture she made.

'_She would have a conniption if she woke and saw us like this.'_

She took some time in the quiet hum of their secret corner of the garden to just observe her and her soft beauty. Kagome was an excitable little woman, easy to rile and embarrass, powerful, honest and proud and sure of her sense of justice. Interestingly she was also nervous was a field mouse.

_'At least when I'm around.'_

She almost couldn't believe she'd ever been determined to avoid this woman, though if Kagome really were truly mortal, it would be awful to know her this way and then watch her die.

'_I'm... glad she forced me into this friendship. But if I have my way we won't be FRIENDS for too much longer.'_

No, Loki was certain she wanted much, much more than that.

'_Now it's time to catch a little mouse. Very very soon.'_

She carefully sat up so as not to wake the still sleeping priestess, softly brushed a stray strand of hair away from her face, trailed the tips of her fingers through its length, and then slipped quietly away.

* * *

Kagome woke with a soft sigh, back a little stiff from sleeping against a tree, but she was pleased to see that there was enough daylight to signal that she hadn't missed dinner. She lifted to her knees and stretched and then startled to see a single, perfect bloom of a bright red flower that only bloomed on the other side of the garden. A smile spread slowly across her face and she picked it up, lifting it to her face to take an appreciative sniff of its sweet, subtle scent.

She slipped it behind her ear and hurried off to the dining hall, and though she knew her face must rival the bright crimson of the velvety petals, she walked in proudly and answered Loki's smug look with a soft thank you and attempted to focus only on her dinner.

But her heart fluttered endlessly at the unshakable feel of a pair of glimmering green eyes that wouldn't look away.


	27. Chapter26

"Just say yes, you know you want to go."

The mischievous glint in Loki's eyes gave Kagome pause, as did the thought of being so alone with him again. It was getting harder to not act like a lovesick fool around him, but he seemed determined to push his way into her plans no matter how mundane they were, or simply change them all together.

Like now, when she'd only planned on spending the evening after training with Sif in her personal baths, but Loki wanted to whisk away on a secret trip to Alfheim.

"Is there something happening in Alfheim?"

"No. But what else is there to do? Where else is there to _go_?"

"I thought you didn't like many of the elves."

"We're not going to see the _elves_. I promised you a trip to another 'magical fairy land meadow' did I not?"

"You did... are we allowed to just go like this?"

He snorted and rolled his eyes, grabbing her hand and yanking her after him, marching them straight to the stables from the target yard.

"Are we _allowed_. I'm a prince of of Asgard, I do what I want."

She giggled a little and jogged to keep up.

"Uh, Okay then, I guess we're going."

She remained quiet and compliant as he placed her on a horse, swung up behind her and set them on a quick pace to the bifrost. It really _was_ a quicker trip down it's surface to take a horse. They dismounted in front of the gate, and Loki strolled casually passed Heimdall with a jaunty wave.

"One trip to Alfheim please."

She scurried to catch up but paused to greet Heimdall properly.

"Hello, so sorry about this impromptu trip, I hope we aren't causing you any trouble."

Heimdall turned and readied his sword to open the gate and send them off, but paused to look right at Loki with small glimmer of amusement in his eyes.

"No trouble at all little princess. I know how much my queen loves her flowers."

He sent them away in a whirl of color and when the lights of the bifrost faded, they were left standing in a clearing in the woods. Kagome turned shocked eyes on Loki and was stunned to find him standing there staring blankly ahead- and blushing.

"Your _mom _sent you today? Why did you try to make me think we were sneaking away?"

He glanced over and then grinned an honest grin, scratching the back of his head and looking uncharacteristically embarrassed.

"Heh... just a bit of fun?"

"Mmhmm. Alright, what kind of flower are we here for. And why so late in the evening?"

Loki looked up at the sky and for several moments tracked the position of the Alfheim sun. It wouldn't be too long until nightfall now.

"Alfheim has different stars."

"They do?"

"They do. As for the flowers, it's a species specific to Alfheim that won't grow on Asgard. Mother likes to make perfume out of it."

"Well let's go then, lead the way!"

Thankfully they didn't have to waste much of the remaining daylight traipsing through the woods. They'd been set down near the edge and a short walk away was one of those perfect meadows she'd been promised on their first trip here together. In the golden light of the setting sun it gleamed as if every leaf, flower and blade of grass were gilded in the purest gold, and with an excited squeal Kagome took off and ran straight for the first flowering bush she found, picking off the biggest, fattest blossom before dashing to the next one.

"Neither of those are the one we came here for." Loki called after her, fond exasperation coloring his tone.

"You _cannot_ expect me to come here and not leave with a whole bouquet. These are the most beautiful flowers ever!"

Loki watched her bounce around the meadow, flitting from flower to flower like a buzzing bee, sparkling with happiness and contentment.

'_Hm... I disagree._'

He could see the specific type of bloom he needed in a far off corner, so he left her to her flower picking and made his way over to harvest the one he came for, choosing 3 perfect blooms and zipping them away into his handy little pocket realm, and then he stood back and watched Kagome indulgently. She already had a huge armful of multicolored flowers and she dropped them in a heap in the center of the meadow before sitting next to her pile and carefully picking out one bloom at a time and twisting them together.

Curious, Loki sat beside her, watching her fingers nimbly twist and tie stems, blooms and leaves until she had a rainbow coronet. She lifted it proudly and dropped it atop his head.

"There! A crown for a prince." He studied her intently, watching the color of her cheeks darken, wondered if there was a flower in her stash that might match it.

"What about for a little princess?"

"Oh... I'm not a princess."

"No?"

"Definitely not."

"Flowers for a pretty maiden, then?"

Her eyes widened and then she averted her eyes down with a soft smile and he admired the way her lashes smudged across her cheeks.

"Teach me."

She glanced back up, a little shocked, a little confused.

"Excuse me?"

"Teach _me _to make one, and I'll crown you since you will not."

"Oh. O-okay."

She was a patient and attentive teacher, though he had no true desire to actually _learn_ the silly skill of weaving flowers into jewelry, it was enough to have her attention on him. And her hands, when he'd fumble something on purpose and she'd guide him through the step again. And when they were done he placed a matching rainbow circlet on her own glossy black hair.

"There. A crown is very becoming on you."

She placed a hand over her chest and he smirked at her silent prayer cursing her heart.

And then she laid back, patting the grass next to her.

"Do you know the constellations?"

He laid back next to her and stared up at the darkening sky already hosting a light smattering of stars.

"No. I have no knowledge of Alfheim astronomy."

"Well then, let's make some up! That one looks like a crab."

"A What?"

She giggled and the sound was delightful; bright, easy, carefree in ways he dreamed to be.

"It's an earth animal, I haven't seen anything here yet that looks close enough to compare it too. _That_ one looks like a mouse."

"Ah, so we will call that one 'Kagome.'"

"Hey!"

He chuckled quietly and then they whiled away the hours making pictures in the sky, giving them nonsense names and stories, teasing each other, until Kagome dropped off into sleep at his side.

He stood and carefully scooped her up, fixed her tilted crown of flowers, and very quietly bid Heimdall to bring them back home.

He looked wryly at the horse still waiting on them and shot Heimdall an apologetic look.

"I will send someone to retrieve it. I apologize."

Heimdall waved him off and shook his head in secret amusement at the sight of them returning so late, wreathed in flowers, one asleep and the other half way there.

"If I hadn't seen it coming I wouldn't believe it, but the boy is besotted."

Night spun over Asgard and the city slept, while the fates concocted their plans and wills and their players stepped ever farther onto their destined paths.


	28. Chapter27

_A.N.: The last two fluffy chapters were rather short. Here's an extra long one! But he warned: This chapter contains **sexually** _**suggestive themes and references. **_There will be **no** outright smut in this fic, but be aware that from this point forward, **sexually suggestive themes and references** will be possible. __Proceed with caution if you are sensitive to such themes._

Kagome reclined in the cool grass, hiding from the heat of the day under the cool shadow of a large tree in a more secluded corner of on of the palace gardens. She had a pile of perfect, pink little flowers on one side, and on the other, a growing pile of naked stems. Teeny pink petals covered her abdomen, making her dress look less and less yellow with each petal she pulled and discarded.

Maybe "he loves me, he loves me not" was a childish game to be playing at this point in her life, but right now, she really didn't care.

She was... confused, and needed some clarity. Any clarity.

Even silly, childish clarity.

So far, the results were inconclusive.

Things had been going, well, weird. She cast her mind back over the last months from the start of all her confusion and apprehension.

The night after she'd been crowned story teller supreme at the Feast of Tales, Loki had congratulated her in the sweetest way. His voice was deep, soft and hypnotizing as he'd thanked her for her courage and her story, and then he'd lifted her hand and pressed his lips to her knuckles. She'd been completely gobsmacked. She hadn't even been able to glare at Fandral and his maniacal giggling at her expense. Since then, Loki had been everywhere. Not in an overwhelming, stalkerish way, but they did seem to spend more time together alone.

She was not complaining. After all, she'd come to terms with how she felt for him months ago, but it was confusing her poor little heart the way he was treating her.

And Fandral's comments about him liking her were not helping.

'_Stupid Fandral. He gets too much joy out of teasing me. And my stupid heart finds too many things to be hopeful about.'_

She sighed and let her eyes fall closed, feeling tired and disgusted and just straight up annoyed with herself.

_'I can't POSSIBLY be letting a century old heartbreak get in my way NOW. I'm too old for that. I was practically a child when I loved Inuyasha, at least compared to how old I am now.'_

But she had loved him, enough to give him _everything_. And it had apparently affected her enough that even in a solid century she hadn't felt this way for... anyone.

Not until Loki.

And he was just so far beyond perfect she couldn't believe he might actually be looking at her that way.

_'So I guess I have no confidence. At least, not enough to think I can snag a prince. A GOD prince at that.' _

She once again combed back over every last interaction they'd had in the time since the Feast of Tales, trying to decipher every word, move and expression. Even with the benefit of being able to read his aura, Loki could be hard to figure out. His very nature left him a bit of an enigma, and most of the time he just came across as smugly satisfied, like he was always several steps ahead and she had no doubt that he was.

There were also the times he was secretly amused about something, smirking to himself in the most infuriating way.

But there were so very many times his aura around her was soft and sincere. Her heart beat faster just thinking about it.

She did, however, giggle a little at how grumpy Thor had been about how close she'd grown to the younger brother. She was supposed to be his best friend and little sister. Not Loki's. It didn't matter how many times she insisted she was not Loki's sister, he was not pleased at all.

The faint tendrils of an all too familiar aura began to tickle the edges of her senses and her heart beat picked up its pace in response. She could feel the mischief and chaos writhing in it even from here, and her curiosity got the better of her.

She stood up, brushed the petals from her dress and reached out with her senses, locking on to the spot she could tell the source of the aura was coming from.

'_He's... in the garden?'_

She walked as quietly as she was able, soon enough coming upon his position hunkered down and hiding behind a garden wall covered in ivy. She crept up and marveled that he hadn't noticed her, biting her lip to stifle a giddy laugh. She bent forward so that she hovered just behind his ear which she normally couldn't reach with how tall he was, but as he was crouched down, casting some illusion on a thorny bush, she had the height advantage for once.

When she was but a hairsbreadth away, she sprung her attack.

"Whatcha doin?"

She startled him so badly he jerked completely upright, gasping out loud and spinning around, pinning her with a wide, shocked gaze.

She stood upright but nearly fell over in laughter, laughter that ended in a strangled squeak when he covered her mouth with his hand and pressed her back against the wall with his body.

"Shhh, you'll ruin everything!" He whispered and she nodded frantically, eyes bugging out of her face and heart beating wildly as every inch of her body in contact with his nearly burned.

He removed his hand when he was sure she would remain quiet.

"What are you doing?"

"Thor is taking some girl on a walk through this very garden and I've hidden the thorn bush so he'll walk into it."

"Isn't that a little childish?"

He smirked and shrugged and Kagome's cheeks burned when she realized he was still pressed against her.

"Just a bit of fun."

He stepped away then, peeking back around the wall and spotting his target moving right on schedule, and right into his trap.

His ears tickled as he heard a quiet, secret voice behind him.

'_Kami-sama that was... intense. I hope he can't tell how fast my heart is beating.'_

He turned back around and eyed her. She was staring at the ground with fierce blush, one hand pressed over her heart. He added it to his list of confirmations of her feelings and decided he was done with his teasing and flirting. He was never so certain as now that he wanted this woman, and though the move he was about to make might be the slightest bit underhanded, he was going to make the move anyway.

"You _truly _dont realize, do you? Even after all this time?"

"Realize what?" She asked, face flushed and the blue of her eyes wavering with confusion.

"That I can hear you when you pray?"

He watched as dread bled into her expression and all the color drained from her face.

"When I... pray?"

"Yes."

"But... But... but I'm not praying to _you_! I.. _how_?!"

"No, you aren't really praying to anyone specifically, or else I wouldn't be able to hear you. But Kami just means god, and I _am _a god. If I'm the closest one to you, I'll be the one to hear."

"But... but... but..." panic and embarrassment crushed her, made her face glow a deep, staining red. "But I'm not... how? I'm not trying to... not to anyone here!"

In her embarrassment her voice threatened to break past a whisper.

"Oh no oh no oh no oh no oh _NO_! This is... this awful!"

The sky opened then, a surprise summer shower dumping over their heads.

He dashed forward and wrapped his arm around Kagome's shoulders, ushering her into a nearby alcove hidden enough out of the way that they'd be safe from the rain. It was small and cramped, and he found himself pressed against her gain, but her face was hidden in his chest, as she had no where else to hide.

"It's not so terrible. I'm very flattered."

She glared at him and he couldn't help but grin at the adorable way her nose scrunched up.

"Do _not_ make fun of me. That's mean."

"I would never."

Her flat stare told him exactly what she thought about that statement.

"Alright, I would. But I'm _not_. I really am flattered Kagome, and why shouldn't I be? You're a lovely, incredible woman."

Her eyes were big and round with shock, and her bright red blush made her eyes seem just that much more blue.

"What?" Her voice was whisper soft, and it drew his eyes to her lips. Since realizing he may have certain preferences for her, Loki had endeavored to spend more time in her presence, and every second there made him more certain that she was something special, something he wanted for himself.

With the pad of his thumb he wiped away a stray drop of rain trailing down her forehead.

"Indeed, you are very beautiful. Beautiful, brave, strong, honest. You are remarkable, Priestess Kagome."

Scarcely breathing, unable to believe this sudden turn of events, Kagome blinked, searching his gaze desperately for signs of his duplicity.

"Is this one of your pranks?" She asked, voice small and choked with emotion.

"You tell me."

She searched his aura, finding no evidence of mischief or falsehood. Her eyes fluttered closed at the light touch of his hand as he wiped the rain away from her skin.

When she felt his lips press lightly to hers, her heart stopped completely.

She lifted up on her tip toes, pushing closer, throwing her arms around his neck, all the pent up longing rushing up and out and shattering her resolve.

He deepened the kiss, cradling her face in his hands, tangling his fingers in her hair, skimming them down her shoulders, her waist, her hips, swallowing her jittery sigh, her breathy little moan. Pushing up the skirts of her dress, he lifted her up and pushed her more firmly against the wall. She wrapped her legs around his waist and the feel of his hands gripping the skin of her thighs ignited her blood. Her head dropped back with a sigh and her hands slipped into his hair as his mouth left hers, trailing down her neck as the air in their little sanctuary thickened and their minds went hazy with lust. They missed it completely when Thor tripped over Loki's illusion and became tangled in thorny vines.

His shout of pain and anger broke them apart and they looked in the direction of the successful prank with wild eyes and heaving breaths. When Loki met Kagome's eyes again, he could read her reluctance to part, a reluctance that matched his own.

He swooped in on her again, taking her mouth over, stealing all of her breath, all of her thoughts. He stepped back, and with a magical zip they were falling into his bed, out of the rain, away from prying eyes and angry brothers.

Alone.

Clothes were ripped away, buttons pinging off the floor, getting lost in the sheets, and words gave way to breathy pants and sighs.

Lips and tongues and teeth and skin, Kagome's foggy mind found just enough clarity to wonder if this wasn't happening way too fast. But how long had she known him? Over a hundred years, and she was _more_ than old enough to move as fast or as slow as she liked. She ran her fingers through his hair again, felt him shudder as her nails scraped his scalp.

Too fast? Not fast enough.

He hovered over her, his rain damp hair mussed from her roaming hands and making him appear as boyish as he acted sometimes. In his eyes was a question. Ever the cunning prankster. Ever the slick tongued liar. Ever the gentleman.

She smiled confidently, he grinned devilishly. His beautiful green eyes glowed with wicked triumph and something more tender that she would certainly avoid trying to place in such a hazy state of mind.

His mouth found her neck, his hands found her skin, And Kagome, purest of heart and soul, gave herself wholly to the God of Mischief.

* * *

Waking up on a firm, bare chest was certainly a new experience.

Her gradually awakening brain reminded her that that wasn't the _only_ new experience she'd had of late.

Her eyes widened, and she flexed her fingers where they rested on his skin. _Loki's_ skin.

His hand, which rested atop hers, closed, ensuring she wouldn't be able to move it. He shifted marginally, his arm around her shoulder tightening and pulling her closer. He sighed, and Kagome risked a glance upward. He was still asleep, his face softer, though not exactly appearing innocent as faces tended to do when unconscious. There was always a secret slant to his features, a subtle suggestion that he may be up to something, anything.

He was beautiful, she'd always thought so.

His door began creaking, and his eyes opened. Soft footsteps approached and his brow furrowed. He glanced down at her, reading the confusion in her eyes and acting as quickly as he was able to pull the cover up from her waist and over her shoulder. She clutched it there, wondering what was going on when a voice spoke softly and filled her with dread.

_Thor_.

Come to get his revenge, he rounded the corner with a large vase sloshing with water, no doubt intent on dumping it all over his brother in retribution for the prank that had been played on him just the day before. It was an even more childish prank than he'd fallen for, but he didn't have mayhem in his blood and bones, either. And he was not counting on an additional member to the pranking revenge party.

"Looooookiii... wake up, you nasty-_WHAT'S THIS_?! OH-HO-HO What do we have here?! Odin's beard, Kagome! What would mother think?!"

He cackled merrily while Kagome retreated completely under the covers, more embarrassed than she could ever remember being in her life. Loki summoned one of his knives and heaved it at his self satisfied brother, a dark sneer marring his face.

"Thor, get out!"

He danced back through the door, his water vase shattered on the floor and his spirits high with his newfound ammunition.

It wasn't often one got an edge on Loki, and he was ready to savor the upper hand.

Breakfast would not come soon enough.

Loki sighed and rubbed his hand down his face, agitation roiling through him.

Thor had to ruin everything.

"Is he gone?"

Kagomes meek, humiliated voice drew his attention, and his face and mood softened instantly.

"Yes. You can come out now."

"No thanks. I'll just... stay here forever. If you don't mind."

"A tempting prospect. Certainly I wouldn't mind that, at all." His voice was thick with suggestion, but his hands were gentle as he tried to lightly tug the sheets from her grip.

She grabbed on even tighter.

"That's _not_ what I meant."

"Was it not? That's a shame."

Sly as a snake, loki slipped under the covers and began slithering up her body, dropping soft nips and kisses on his way up toward her face.

In her distraction, she'd let loose her grip on the covers, allowing him to push them back away from her. He emerged, gave her a languid, lingering kiss, and met her now clouded gaze.

"There you are. Hello lover."

The sweetest shade of rosy pink bloomed across her cheeks.

"Hi." She replied, her voice tiny and shy, but she met his eyes bravely. His smile was sweet and indulgent and it made her heart flutter.

"Would you like a bath?"

Her face lit up and Loki appreciated how it made her eyes glimmer.

"Oh that sounds lovely!"

He rolled away from her, yanked the sheets off, scooped her up, and ran chuckling with a shrieking Kagome into his private bathing room.

* * *

An odd tension simmered over the breakfast table.

She and Loki had arrived to breakfast together first, and sat together talking quietly until Frigga joined them and bid them good morning.

Then Thor arrived, saw them seated next to each other, developed the most shit eating grin she'd _ever_ seen, and had squirmed in anticipation in his seat ever since.

Loki sipped his tea completely unbothered. Kagome had no idea how he managed it, her nerves were completely shot.

"Say, Kagome..."

Her heart stopped, Thor addressing her now could mean nothing good.

"Did you get an adequate amount of sleep last night? I came to your room to walk you to breakfast and your maid Dalla said you never came to bed last night. Was everything alright?"

His smirk belied his concerned tone.

"Thor... what are you-"

"Oh my dear," Frigga replied with concern coloring her tone, gently grabbing her hand. "what happened? Where were you?"

Thor's eyes lit up and Kagome wondered if she'd survive to see lunch time.

"She was with-"

"She was with me."

Frigga's hand stilled where it had been patting Kagome's, her eyes going wide.

"I beg your pardon, dear?"

Loki was serene as he clarified, as if they'd simply asked about the weather or how good his breakfast was. He met Thor's eyes in an obvious challenge.

"Kagome spent the night with me last night."

He delicately lifted one eyebrow.

"She did _not_ get adequate sleep."

She'd attempted to hide behind her large drinking cup, but that had been a mistake. She choked and spluttered in her shock, coughing on the sweet liquid and attempted to catch her breath. Loki rubbed her back gently.

"Are you alright, darling?"

She nodded and waved him off, ready to have the attention _off_ of her for the next century.

"That's not fair Loki, I was going to tell her!"

He simply sipped his tea again.

"I know."

"Loki... my son... have you thought at all... it's just... well Kagome is a beloved part of this family dear, a fling like this is... it's ill advised."

Loki wrapped his arm around her and drew her close, leaning closer to his mother and into her space. She gave up all attempts to seem like she had it together. She was dying, she just knew it. '_This is it, the bitter end.'_

"Mother, does it look like i have simply used her and plan to cast her off? Please. I have more class than that."

Frigga pursed her lips, regarding him steadily.

Finally she smiled.

"Alright my darlings, just... be good to one another. Be careful. That's all I ask."

Kagome wondered if she might combust.

Thor pouted audibly, grumbling and complaining about his foiled plans.

"Loki you really are the worst."

"You're just angry you couldn't tattle on us like a bothersome child. And what would be the point? We're all grown Thor. You don't see me tattling on you every time I find you behind the drapes with some female or other"

Frigga shrieked, and Thor had the good graces to blush and look sheepish.

"Thor Odinson!!! My drapes?! Do you possess _no _manners at all?!"

Loki took another sip of tea.

"He does not."

Kagome grimaced, giving Thor a look of disgust, grateful that the heat had blessedly been shifted onto someone else.

"Gross Thor."

* * *

It had been a day.

A very very weird day.

Thor could barely look at her without bursting out laughing.

Loki didn't hover, but he did sit next to her at meal times instead of Thor, who seemed put out to have his place taken.

And she... was a tumultuous storm of insecurity.

She just didn't know what any of it meant.

Well that wasn't totally true, she knew what it meant to her.

But what had it truly meant to Loki?

Dinner adjourned, and she made her way to the family wing with every intention of sinking into her bath and thinking long and hard about the best way to go about asking Loki if he wanted to take their little _encounter_ further without combusting from the embarrassment.

A small surge of magic was her only warning that she should be paying attention. She collided face first with Loki's firm chest, briefly remembering what it looked and felt like _without_ his usual leather tunic, and her face flamed bright crimson as she reluctantly met his eyes.

He had one brow raised in question, so she cleared her throat and tried to speak.

"Um... hi."

He tilted his head, considering her for a moment, the look in his eye so shrewd she felt exposed.

"Where exactly do you think you're going?"

She glanced around and noticed they'd stopped in front of her bedroom door.

"Um... bath?"

"In here?"

"I... Yes?"

"You're nervous. Why? What's on your mind? Don't forget I'll know if you're lying."

Kagome floundered for a moment. This was _not_ how she wanted to do this, though she'd probably sleep better if she got it over with.

"It's um, it's about what you said earlier, to your mother?"

"Yes?"

"You... _didn't_ want last night to be a one time thing?"

"Did you? I had not thought you to be that type of person."

Kagome straightened her spine and crossed her arms, letting her stubbornness be her strength.

"I'm a grown woman. I can have casual sex with someone one time if I want to."

Loki smirked, clearly pleased with the direction she was driving the conversation.

"That you can. Is that what you wanted? Casual sex with _me_, just the one time?"

Blushing again, Kagome felt her newfound determination begin to trickle away.

"Uh... I... is that what _you_ want?"

Loki stepped closer, narrowing the distance between them, overwhelming her with his presence.

"Is there a reason you won't tell me what it is _you_ want little priestess?"

"I... I..."

He reached out, absently twirling a strand of her hair around his finger, watching it slip like silk across his skin. It made her heart falter. "Go on. Think long and hard. What do _you _want?

"I want... I... it doesn't matter, it's not all about me!"

"But it can be."

She paused, considering that, but ultimately shaking her head, clearing that thought away. "No, I'm not selfish, it can't-"

Framing her face with his hands, Loki looked deeply and intently into her eyes, drawing all of her attention, snaring her, forbidding her to look away.

"Look inside yourself. Past your purity, past your duty, past your crippling need to put everyone else's wants and needs above your own. Selfishness is something I know well, Kagome. Lies and mischief and chaos, these are all selfish notions and they are intrinsic to my very nature. Trust me when I say you will not unravel for one moment of self indulgence. Now tell me, woman, what. Do. You. Want. With. Me? Is it one night of passion? Tell me so now and I will walk away. Is it a burning affair of the flesh? I can _more_ than oblige you."

Her heart caught in her throat and in her eyes, shining openly with all of the breathtaking honesty that filled every part of her, and Loki accepted his victory before she even spoke. "I... _no_. No I don't want a torrid affair or a one night stand. I... want more than that."

He leaned down, closing the space between them even further, hovering over her mouth with his own.

"Tell me."

She felt his whisper hot on her lips as clear as she heard it. Her eyes fluttered closed and she took a moment to still all her swirling thoughts, to silence all the parts of her that revolted at taking anything for herself.

But she could take. She always gave more than enough.

"I want... _you_."

"Then I shall be yours. But make no mistake Lady Kagome, you were already mine."

His mouth then closed hard over hers, and like a conqueror he swept her away. In an instant they were out of the hallway, out of her doorway, and she was back in his arms.


	29. Chapter28

_A.N.: the next chapter (29) takes place after a significant time skip from the last chapter (27). THIS chapter (28) is a series of fluffy little snapshots that take place during that time skip. The first two drabbles happen within a few days of Kagome and Loki finally getting together, while the last 5 are spread out over the skip. Enjoy this fluffy little interlude! _

**_Snapshots:_**

Loki sat on a stone bench in the target yard and sharpened his daggers, keeping one eye on Kagome as she set another stance and fired off another arrow at a distant target. His eyes roved over her form, the curve of her figure, they way her body tensed and flexed as she reached back for another arrow. He paused his sharpening and watched her appreciatively as she sent another arrow sailing away and then reached back again to find her quiver empty. With an easy twirl of his finger he replenished her quiver, and when the aftershock of his magic washed over her she peeked over at him. He grinned slow, smug and a little predatory, making her cheeks glow and her eyes sparkle. She smiled, small and shy and waved. His face softened and she turned back to her practicing. He attempted to finish sharpening his daggers, but a large shadow fell over him. He glanced up and found his brother looming, arms crossed and face stern. He rolled his eyes and sat back, meeting Thor's stern glare, already annoyed and bored before his brother had even said a word.

"What do you want." He sighed, ready to get this over with so he could go back to inspecting the rather lovely view.

"We need to talk about your intentions with our sister."

"She is _not_ my sister. I don't know how many times I've had to make that clarification."

"You know what I mean."

"It makes it sound weird."

"It _is _weird. It was funny at first but now it's concerning."

"_She_ doesn't think so. If you don't believe me I can ask her tonight."

Loki grinned at Thor's sneer of disgust and tried not to laugh outright at the consternation he stirred up.

"Mother was right the other morning when she said this was ill-advised. I don't want to see her hurt when you decide you're done toying with her."

"Now _that's_ cruel, siding with her over your real brother. Who's to say she isn't toying with me? Will you be so sympathetic if she breaks _my_ little heart?"

Thor snorted and shook his head, exasperated with Loki's games and inability to speak plainly, always trying to lead someone around by the nose.

"She's not like you, Loki. She's not like any of us. She's-"

"Sweet, honest and lovely? Yes, I know."

"What?"

Loki's eyes shifted to the side and he smirked a little to see Kagome staring at them with thunder in her eyes.

"I assure you brother, my intentions aren't _completely_ dishonorable. Only a little. And while I will forgive you for this overstep, I'm afraid I can only speak for myself. Brace yourself, you're in trouble."

Thor tilted his head in confusion, and then an ice cold voice frosted with rage froze his insides with dread.

"Thor. _What_ do you think you're doing?"

He spun around, eyes widening at the sight of Kagome's sharp, firey glare.

"I... Uh..."

"You aren't trying to scare him away are you? You aren't _meddling_ in things no one asked you to meddle in, are you? You aren't acting like I'm not a grown woman who can make her own decisions _are you_? You would _never_ do that _would you_?!"

Thor spluttered, trying to backtrack and spare his hide from the formidable wrath of the deceptively gentle priestess that lived with them.

Loki went back to sharpening his knives, watching the new show with great amusement.

'_Not as nice of a view as I had previously, but it has its merits.'_

* * *

"You've been spending much time away from your rooms, my lady."

Dala's words were innocent enough, though her tone had just the barest edge of suggestion. It made Kagome's cheeks burn, but she met her maid's eyes in the mirror bravely.

"I have."

"Much time indeed."

Scraping up her stubbornness, Kagome tilted her chin up, hoping to appear much more confident than embarrassed.

"You got something to say about it?"

Dala grinned, but kept her attention on the hair she was currently brushing and fixing.

"I have little to say. But I do have questions!"

The longtime friends giggled and Kagome filled her in on the less embarrassing parts of how she and Loki got together.

"So you'll moving into his rooms then? You're just in here to get dressed?"

"Oh I.. I don't know. I know I've spent the last several nights there.."

"Just ask him. There's no need to be unsure or afraid. Anyway, it's your first feast night with him! Are you excited?"

Kagome fidgeted with some of the pins and ribbons on her vanity table and tried to sort through her nerves. Excitement was there, especially as this was merely a celebration of some successful mission Thor and the Warriors had been on. Very low-key, low pressure and informal. But she was also nervous, unsure how she was supposed to act around the prince in question.

"I am. I'm also nervous. I don't want to make myself look silly by doing the wrong thing."

"Oh you worry far too much." Dala said with a small wave of dismissal, focusing on putting the finishing touches on her hair. "I've seen you two sneaking around, he's certainly more than taken with you. You have nothing to fear."

Kagome narrowed her eyes, and noticed with suspicion that Dala was avoiding her gaze.

"What do you mean you've 'seen us sneaking around?'"

"Just that everyone forgets the servants have eyes and ears that see just as well as everyone else's. Now, enough of that. Time to go!"

Just as Dala said, she worried too much. No sooner had she entered the more informal banquet hall which was already bursting with loud voices and boisterous laughter, had Loki swept her over to where he was sitting with the rest of their friends.

"I was wondering when you'd arrive. You look lovely."

"Oh! Thank you..."

He brushed a kiss against her cheek, sat in a chair in the big middle of Thor, Sif, Hogun and Volstagg, and pulled her down on his lap, making a firm, deliberate statement for anyone looking about the new state of their relationship.

_'I guess Dala was right...'_

She relaxed then, settling a little easier into the circle of his arms until Fandral strolled up with a girl on each arm and a shit eating grin she wanted to slap right off.

"Oh how I _love_ being right! Thor, you owe me money!"

She tuned them out as they squabbled over lost bets and money owed and instead smiled softly at Loki who wasted no time giving her all his attention the second her eyes were on him.

"Thank you." She whispered, and his brow furrowed a little while he searched her face.

"For what?"

She grinned and wiggled in his lap, her smile widening as his arms flexed tighter around her.

"For making things clear."

His expression cleared and then grew a little stern.

"You were worried? Spend no more time thinking such things, I've already said I am yours, and you are mine. I meant that, and I know you can sense the truth, there should be no room for any fears."

She leaned into him, curling up under his chin, feeling no need to be embarrassed.

"I know."

* * *

"Here you are, darling."

Kagome smiled softly in thanks, accepting the cup of warm tea from Loki as he took a seat next to her in front of the fire.

"Thank you. It's so cold!"

Everyone save Odin had piled into the family lounging room to huddle in front of the fire while the palace was warmed. A sudden cold snap had taken hold in the night and they'd been unprepared. But the family room was small and with four adult bodies and a roaring fire, they were warming fast.

"Yes, and waking with your icy feet in my back was a shock I'd rather not have to repeat again in any near future."

Kagome shot a dirty look at Thor who burst out laughing, then hunkered down in her blankets and sipped her tea, allowing the hot liquid to warm her all the way down.

"Whatever jerks. I don't even have the energy to fight you."

Loki settled in next to her, covering them bother with an extra blanket and pressing a soft kiss to her temple.

"Only teasing, darling." He whispered softly, and she rested her head on his shoulder, feeling warmer and safer than she could ever remember.

* * *

In a distant, mostly hidden corner of the main library, Kagome sat on a sun warmed couch pushed up against a large glass window and framed by floaty, gauzy curtains. She'd been reading the book in her hands for some time, engrossed in the story and characters, but a pair of lips peppering kisses across her shoulder had begun distracting her.

"Loki, I'm trying to read."

"You've _been _reading for hours."

She giggled as his breath fanned over the back of her neck, followed by more kisses.

"I didn't ask you to sit here with me the whole time."

His teeth snagged her earlobe in response and she gasped as her eyes fluttered closed and her toes curled.

"J-Just a little longer. I'm almost done."

He sat back with a gusty sigh and crossed his arms and she tried to hide her grin and not make it obvious she was laughing at him. She watched him from the corner of her eye as he fiddled with the curtains, a contemplative look on his finely drawn features.

"You ever wonder what it is Thor finds so alluring about drapes?"

Shocked, Kagome's attention jerked fully over to Loki who's eyes gleamed with mischief.

"Loki... No."

"Truly?"

"_NO_."

"You're lying."

Her cheeks burned and she averted her eyes to her lap.

"I think it's just the thrill of getting caught, not the actual drapes."

When he didn't respond she glanced back up, blanching at the predatory smirk slowly stretching across his face. He practically oozed satisfaction and suggestion.

"Loki..."

"Just once."

"This is the _main_ library, everyone uses this library."

"_No one_ comes here this time of day, to this corner."

"_Loki_."

"There is _no one_ even in this part of the palace."

Her heart sped up, her face flushed, her skin tingled, and when she pushed passed the knee-jerk fear of getting caught, she found the excitement she'd heard people speak of. She bit her lip and Loki's eyes sparkled in anticipation.

"Okay, just the once. Just to say we have. But we won't tell anyone!"

"Deal."

He yanked her forward and shattered the rest of her thoughts with a searing kiss, and then they ran laughing to the nearest set of curtains.

* * *

"I can't believe you've managed to tolerate him this long."

"I've tolerated _you_ this long."

"That's different, I'm the best."

Kagome rolled her eyes fondly and continued sharpening her arrows while Thor stretched out next to her in the grass. They'd come out to have lunch together in the warm sunshine after Thor pouted that she was letting Loki steal all of her time away.

'_He's still just big needy puppy, after all this time.'_

He sighed a dramatic, despondent sigh, and in her distraction she didn't notice the devious way he eyed her.

"You love him more than you love me."

"I love him _differently_ than I love you."

Dreadful realization burned through her nerves and she looked at Thor in horror, but if the smug look on his dumb face was any indication, the damage was done.

"Uh... I mean.. I _MEAN_-"

"Have you told him?"

It was much softer than she expected, and his expression was painted with sweet understanding. She looked away and fiddled with her arrow heads, grasping at even the illusion of distance from this one painful topic.

"I... haven't."

"You don't believe he feels the same?"

"I don't want to presume too much and ruin everything."

"Kagome?"

She met his eyes again, shocked at the subtle sternness she found there.

"Yes?"

"You worry too much."

She smiled wryly and sighed, shrugging helplessly before laying back in the grass beside him and gazing up at the floating clouds.

"Yeah, so I've been told."

* * *

Kagome could feel her eyes glazing over as she listened to someone from some realm she couldn't remember prattle on at her about something she couldn't follow and didn't care about, but she had to play along and make a good impression.

'_Keeping political relations up is exhausting.'_

They were all in the Alfheim court for a shmooz-fest disguised as a ball, and while it was admittedly opulent and beautiful, it was also mind numbingly boring.

A throat cleared, silencing the man who'd been speaking to her and they both turned to acknowledge who'd interrupted.

Her hackles immediately raised to find the Alfheim prince.

"Hello my good man, do you mind if I steal this lovely woman away for a dance?"

"Of course not your highness!" He dipped a bow and scurried away, and before she could protest, she was swept across the floor in time to the soft music tinkling from the musicians.

"Hello, I remember you."

"How... generous of you?" Kagome replied uncomfortably, wondering if it was possible to get away without insulting him.

"Yes. You look ravishing this evening. How do you find my ball and what you have seen of my palace?"

"Uh, thank you. It's lovely, truly."

Something dark glittered in his eyes and the little alarm bells in the back of her head rang. He leaned in much closer than was necessary for their dance and she shivered in disgust at his hot breath in her ear.

"Let me take you on a much more... _personal_ tour, starting with my bedchambers?"

Her eyes widened in shock and anger, but before she could ruin everything by decking the presumptuous prince in his pretty face, she was deftly spun out of his embrace and held firmly in another.

"I'll thank you not to be so familiar with my lady in the future, are we understood elfling?"

She sagged in relief as Loki's aura wrapped around her, agitated as it was, and took great pleasure at the Elf prince's look of shock.

"Well, this is certainly a new development."

Loki looked utterly bored and slightly put out to be speaking to the elf prince, but Kagome could feel the satisfaction in his aura.

"Not new, just since the last time anyone bothered with you."

He bristled but caught himself, bowing lightly with a strained smile.

"Forgive me for the insult, I don't mean to come on to your little pet."

He strolled away to go find a new target, and then Loki pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her waist and leading her into another dance. She watched the elf prince walk away slack jawed and enraged.

"Did you.. he just.. I can't... he called me your pet!"

"I do believe I told you he was an imbecilic fool, did I not?"

She huffed and then turned back to Loki who sighed and wilted just slightly.

"I _hate it _here." He said emphatically, and she had to agree. This was the most boring party ever, and the crown prince's personality left much to be desired.

Taking a covert glimpse around, Kagome ascertained that no one was watching them, and even ducked close to whisper to him, and her impish secrecy woke Loki's mischievous side.

"You know... I think Alfheim probably has drapes..."

He squeezed her closer, nuzzled at her ear, and the husky, pleased tone of his voice sent fire racing down her spine.

"Indeed. Perhaps we should go find some."

A zip of magic made them invisible, and they left the awful ballroom behind.

* * *

The iridescent light of the Asgardian night filtered through his open window, illuminating Kagome's skin as she slept next to him. Loki traced all the glowing parts of her with sharp eyes and a warm heart, lightly skimming his fingers along as well.

She was so soft, so sweet, and the fact that she was his still filled him with awe, wonder, and a smug sense of pleasure. She was a treasure among all of Asgard, and that she'd given herself to him above all others was a point of pride he did not take lightly.

He caressed her face, smiling indulgently when her lids fluttered open and she stared unseeingly at him before scootching closer and curling up against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her back, holding close, reveling in the feel of her body pressed so trustingly close, the smell of her air. She nuzzled into his chest and sighed, and then whispered the sweetest words he'd probably ever heard.

"Love you."

Her voice was small and muzzy with sleep and she probably didn't even realize she'd said it out loud, but that didn't dim the joy that erupted in his heart and soul.

He pulled her ever closer, pressed several soft kisses on the crown of her head, and then closed his eyes, letting a content, peaceful sleep claim him.

The next morning, as she sat and brushed out her hair in the mirror of the vanity table they now shared, Loki slid in behind her chair and took over, dragging her comb through her silken tresses, grinning as she sighed from the inherent pleasure of someone else grooming your hair.

When he was sure she was good and relaxed, any possible tension combed out until she was pliable and unsuspecting, he sprung his attack.

"Did you know you mumble in your sleep sometimes? Last night, for instance, you said something rather interesting."

"Oh? Was it embarrassing?"

When he didn't answer, she cracked one eye open and tilted her head back until she could see him.

"Loki? I mean it, what did I say? Was it embarrassing?"

Nerves mounted as he gently set the comb back down and then stepped around her chair to crouch beside her. He took her hands in his, placed soft kisses across her knuckles, met the confusion in her eyes with all of his heart in his own.

"I love you too."

She searched him, his face, his eyes, his soul, and then she threw herself into his arms with a sob. He tightened his hold on her, and Kagome let her tears fall as every piece of her that had ever felt tired, tattered, lonely and lost, finally felt whole, loved, complete, and found.


	30. Chapter29

_A.N.: this chapter (29) begins with a time skip that takes place after chapter 27. It features a fun cameo of some characters mentioned several chapters ago. I just couldn't help myself ;)_

**Book 2: And They Lived **

**Chapter 29**

_*150 years later*. _

Listening to Dalla's sweet, quiet humming as she brushed and styled her hair helped calm some of Kagome's excited, nervous energy. She sent her aura out in return, washing over her friend in soothing shallow waves. She still hadn't grown used to the change in her lady's circumstances that led to her being in the second prince of Asgard's private sleeping chambers. Such nerves left her stomach in knots, and as she was currently growing a sweet little one, Kagome wanted to help ease her anxieties as much as possible.

Loki strode through on his way to the bathing room and Dalla jerked back with a gasp, nearly tumbling over in her haste to show her prince the proper respects.

"Oh, your highness!"

Steadying her with arm around her back, Kagome helped her friend and handmaid stand up straight again, and Loki gave her a stern look.

"I am certain we've told you such formality is unwelcome in our private chambers at the very least. Please stop stressing yourself needlessly."

"He's right, Dalla, it's not good for the baby." Kagome replied, placing a hand on her friend's swollen abdomen sending another surge of calming reiki through her.

"I'm so sorry, ignore me please, I'm afraid I'm just extra on edge today. It's a big day."

"Yes there will be many very important guests, but you will be kept out of the way in your condition. Kagome has made sure of it."

Dalla met her Lady's eyes in question, stunned at the sincerity found there."

"Truly?"

"Of course! I've arranged a day for you in a relaxing bathhouse far away from the palace and all the big wigs coming to visit. A gift just from me."

"Oh my lady, I couldn't possibly-"

"You can and you will. Now, I can't get any readier than I am, so go straight back to your rooms and get ready, your ride leaves in two hours!"

With a grateful hug and a small bow, Dalla walked as quickly as she could out of the rooms and Kagome shook her head at her poor friend's inability to just lay the reverence to rest and _relax _a little on the job.

"This is your fault you know." She teased, snuggling up to Loki's chest, wrapping her arms around him. He embraced her back and his chuckle reverberated in her ear.

"Oh? And how's that? I can't be any clearer with the girl than I have been."

"You're too intimidating. Maybe if _you_ relaxed then she could."

He tilted her face up and grinned down at her, green eyes glowing with a growing light of mischief.

"I am always relaxed my darling. Can I be blamed that even at my most serene I command the respect of all in the room?"

She giggled and he smiled indulgently at her pure look of happiness, leaning down to kiss her. She stood up on her tiptoes, but a knock on their door interrupted.

"My Lady Queen summons you, highnesses."

Kagome wrinkled her nose at being called "highness" when she wasn't even engaged to be married into the family, but the longer she lived on Asgard so close to the royal family, the more reverence she was treated with.

"Get used to it love, your rank wont be falling any lower at this point."

Wrapping her arm around his so he could lead them toward the banquet hall, Kagome sighed and leaned her head against his arm.

"I suppose you're right, it's just so awkward. But never mind that. I'm so excited for today! I've been waiting for this for forever! You told me a century and a half ago that this thing would be happening soon!"

"Is that not soon?"

She glared up him, unamused with his teasing grin.

"_No_. It's not soon and you know it."

"Ah, I forgot. Your simple human brain struggles to process the passage of time. Forgive me my darling, I did not mean to disregard your human limitations."

He almost laughed out loud at the irritation vibrating around her. He didn't need her unique ability to read souls to see past her blank stare.

"Keep it up, see if you don't end up sleeping in the garden."

His expression turned predatory and he pulled her around a corner into an empty corridor, pressing her to the wall and enjoying the way her cheeks bloomed in color when he was this close to her even all these years later.

"You tempt me, little minx, to drag you back to our rooms and remind you of every reason you would not send me away." He bent his head, bumping his nose against hers, smirking as she breathed out a shuddering sigh.

"And you were so looking forward to-"

Her eyes popped open and she pushed him back, startling him for a moment.

"Stop! You're right, I _have_ been looking forward to this so keep it in your pants, perv! You win this this round, and we _will_ pick this back up later, but for now, take me to the gathering!"

The Gathering of Gods was a semi-regular meeting of Gods from various Earthbound pantheons to come together every few centuries or so and make sure they all had a handle on what was happening in their specific jurisdictions. Intervening too closely on humanities behalf had rippling consequences for _all_ of them, so such decisions could not be made lightly, and needed to be reported in now and then, just in case.

Kagome had been waiting anxiously for it since Loki had told her about it in the library over a century ago, especially since she'd been assured the gods of Japan wouldn't be there this time, so there would be no awkward run-ins this time around.

When she'd first made her trips through the pantheons, she'd been a young, broken girl looking for any old place to belong, too sad and lost to really take in anything she might have seen. This was her second chance to get close to these amazing, mythical beings with a new set of eyes.

She couldn't wait.

Loki smiled at her fondly and laced their fingers together, pulling her along back in the direction of the banquet hall.

It was Asgard's turn to play host, and the only reason he was bothering making an appearance was for the little woman who'd wormed her way into his heart.

"Very well then. Let's get on with it. The sooner the better."

The banquet hall was absolutely brimming with huge, powerful auras. Shimmering people ranging from very humanoid to large, scaled and feathered meandered about.

She tried to remember her manners and not stare, but she was failing miserably.

Loki unlaced their fingers so he could wrap her hand in the crook of his elbow again 'like a true lady deserved,' as he always said, and he walked through the banquet hall with all the pride and belonging of every other god in attendance.

He was steering them in the direction of two beings with two auras so wildly different she would have believed they would clash, but they melted sweetly into a balanced push and pull that circled them hypnotically. One cold and deep, one bright and effervescent. Once she got passed the immensity of their auras, she knew immediately who she was seeing.

One limned in cool blue flames, tall, solemn and grave, the other sparkling with the vibrance of life and new beginnings, fluffy spring flowers and ivies twining through her hair.

'_He's bringing me to meet Hades and Persephone!'_

Persephone, small and radiant, turned as they approached and a smile lit her face up.

"Loki! We didn't expect to see you here."

Hades looked back, curious at his wife's exclamation, and she was shocked at how soft and handsome his face looked. He was always portrayed so hard and fierce.

"Indeed Loki, you are not usually in attendance."

"Aidoneus, Kore, a pleasure to see you both again. What sort of prince would I be if I avoided guests in my own kingdom?"

Amusement danced in eyes the color of new spring growth, and Persephone covered her mouth to stifle a giggle.

"The type who avoided us all the _last_ time we were hosted in Asgard. And who is this?"

Kagome blushed as the weight of the beautiful spring goddess's gaze fell on her.

"This is my current favorite concubine, Kagome. Kagome, the king and queen of the underworld."

"Excuse me? Your _what_?" Hades and Persephone laughed outright and Loki chuckled under his breath, but she turned an irate gaze on him and noted with satisfaction that a small thread of apprehension laced his aura.

He wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her closer, pressing a kiss into her hair.

"You know I'm only teasing, my darling."

"Pardon me, but have we met? You seem very familiar."

Hades' eyes we're endlessly black, echoing long eternities of darkness and rest. She could see why so many found the thought of him intimidating, but she found the reality of him almost soothing, like the promise of a long rest from strife.

"Yes actually. You gave me a ride off of Olympus before Hera could toss me off of it."

"Ah yes, I remember. You seemed much more wilted then."

"Hera was just going to toss you off Olympus? But why?!" Persephone asked, horrified, but then she scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Never mind. It was probably something to do with Zeus. It always is."

"Nevertheless," Hades cool, somber voice broke back in, "I am pleased to see you found a place to stay. I half considered offering you a place in my realms, but that is no place for the living I'm afraid."

"Oh, thank you. That's very kind. And yes, I did find a place to belong."

Loki's arm tightened around her, and she rested her head against his shoulder, feeling safe, loved, and at home.

* * *

Later that night, wrapped up snug and safe in both her sheets and Loki's arms, an ancient self doubt creeped back up stuck its sharp, dirty fangs in her heart.

"Loki?"

"Hm?"

"Is that... really what I am to you?"

He rolled over on top of her, propped up by his forearms, staring down at her with concerned eyes.

"What do you mean?"

Her eyes fell from his, too embarrassed and vulnerable to hold his gaze, too shamed for allowing old hurts from another life to take hold of her.

"Just... am I actually a concubine? Is that what I am? I don't... I never thought about it."

"Darling, That was all said in jest. I'm a _god_, gods don't have concubines."

"But you aren't _just_ a god Loki, you're royalty, and sometimes royalty _does_ have-"

"And sometimes they do _not_. It's not even a practice on Asgard, my love."

He grabbed her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes again, forcing her to see his heart.

"Listen to me, Kagome. You are the dearest thing in this world to me, do you understand? And I won't have you questioning your place here, which is right at my side. And before you start down _that_ path, no, there will not be concubines _later_. There will only be _you_."

Melting inside, like something long frozen and hidden away was warming and thawing, one tear slipped down Kagome's cheek and she arched up to place a light, tiny kiss on Loki's nose.

He smiled, and her eyes widened as she watched it slowly morph from sweet to predatory. He fell the rest of the way over her, pressing her down into the bed.

"Now, I believe we have some earlier business to attend to."

And then he thoroughly stole every last thought, both sweet and sour, from her mind.


	31. Chapter30

_A__.N.: I just wanted to take a moment to say that every time one of you tells me this fic has been a bit of light or distraction from stress or overwhelm, that it really means a LOT to me. It really does. I certainly know how it feels to need a good distraction to get through a day or week or even a month, and to know that I've been able to provide that for someone is not something I take lightly. _

_This chapter is very short, so enjoy a double update! _

He was seething.

He sat on the edge of their bed staring straight ahead, anger, jealousy, resentment and hurt wrapping around him so tight they would have choked him bad they been physical things.

Kagome sat gingerly next to him, gently rubbing circles into his back, hoping to soothe some of the tension, some of the ache. He didn't respond, he simply breathed in and out in a measured tempo, still as stone despite the storm raging through his soul.

"Loki? Are you... are you going to be alright?"

Almost faster than she could see he snatched her around the waist and pulled her into his lap, burying his face in her shoulder, nuzzling her soft skin, breathing in the sweet smell of her hair. Her honest gentleness consumed him and he felt some of his angst begin to break away.

With a shuddering sigh and tightened his hold on her and she wiggled ever closer, running her fingers through his hair and shushing him softly, like a child coming out of a nightmare.

An apt description of how he felt despite his years.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't let my temper-"

"No Loki, it's alright. It's alright to feel hurt. They left you behind again. That _hurts_."

They _had_ left him behind again. Another diplomatic visit somewhere, it didn't matter where. But another official royal _thing_ that he'd been deemed unworthy for, left behind while his mother ruled and his father and brother represented Asgard. Balls and parties and dances were all fine and dandy, and when some bit of trickery needed finessed he was all well and good, but when actual business needed tending, apparently he fell short.

His father _said_ it was because they needed another person to watch the throne but he wasn't stupid. That wasn't why. There was something else, he could _tell_ there was something else.

He just didn't know what.

"I just don't know what he's after. If its diplomacy he wants, he won't get it from Thor. You know it, I know it. I love my brother, but he is... he's quick tempered and prone to swinging first and never asking questions. _Why_ is he continually pushed forward?"

This was not the first time they'd been here, and Kagome's heart ached. Odin favored Thor for one reason or another, and he didn't do a very good job hiding it. It was obvious Frigga tried her hardest to pick up the slack but she didn't favor Loki either. She didn't favor _either_ of her sons, as it should be.

Still, when things are so unbalanced for so long, balanced love from one parent isn't often enough to overshadow the hurt caused by favoritism from another.

"Perhaps he just wants to train Thor in some of the places he's lacking so he'll be ready to take over one day."

"But _I'm_ ready to take over _now_. I am not as physically strong as Thor, no one is, and he possesses a natural prowess for battle that not many can match, least of all me. But I _am_ a proficient warrior, and I'm already skilled in diplomacy and protocol and every other thing about ruling that Thor finds a waste of time."

Kagome let him vent his frustrations, seeing his criticism of his brother for what it was, hurt feelings of betrayal. His father made him feel inferior, so he had to voice his superiority.

In truth, Thor and Loki thought the world of each other. They bickered and fought like any true siblings but they're love for each other was deep and unbreakable.

"Thor doesn't understand. He truly believes father is doing it all for everyone's best interest, that father finds me too smart, too useful. He forgets I can sense the falsehood in father's explanations. They are subtle, but they are there. There's something else, something he won't say, something he barely even feels but it's there. Surely _you_ feel it?"

She cast her mind back, tried to remember all the instances she'd been present when Odin had looked more favorably on one brother over the other.

"I can't say with any certainty. As long as I've been here, I'm still not familiar enough with him. But I trust your senses."

He sat up a little straighter and tucked her under his chin. She melted against him and her utter trust and belief in him felt cool and sweet.

"Thank you."

"You're right that Thor isn't quite as ready as you to rule any nations, and I'm sorry your father overlooks you so often. You may not be future king of Asgard, but you're already king of my heart."

He snorted and barked out a surprised laugh.

"Is that so?"

She peeked up at him and he smiled at the mischief dancing in her eyes. It stoked the natural embers of mischief that always smoldered in his own soul.

"Well then, are you prepared to show me your devotion little queen, or will I be forced to conquer you?"

He scooped her up from his lap and tossed her up higher on the bed, and she shrieked as he tickled her sides, her heart growing lighter as his did.


	32. Chapter31

Thor smirked, listening to Kagome growling under her breath, practically vibrating in anger at his side. His brother was going to get it and he couldn't _wait_.

But first, he just needed to stoke her temper a little... bit... higher...

"You don't think you're being a bit unfair to him?"

That did it.

She lept up, pacing back and forth while her skin began to glow pink with her angered reiki.

"Oh how very like you to take his side. Brother's to the end even when one of you is being a total and complete _ass_!"

He sat back, crossing arms behind his head and leaning against a garden wall, enjoying the breeze and finding nothing but amusement in her anger.

"I'm not taking his side, I just understand where he-"

She whirled on him, pink fire in her eyes making him hesitate a little.

"There's nothing to understand! He has no right to tell me what I can and can't do! Your father had every intention on sending me with you guys until he opened his big stupid mouth!"

He noticed then the sheen of tears over her eyes threatening to spill over. She held them back valiantly, but he could tell her hurt ran deeper than just irritation at his brother. He held his arm out and she sank back down, drawing her knees up and leaning against him.

"Listen Kagome, we all know you can handle yourself. You're strong, you're smart, you're powerful. But you're also special."

She scoffed and made to pushed away but he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and held her fast.

"I'm not talking about the jewel Kagome. You know we don't even think of it anymore. I mean _you_ are special. To me, to our friends, to mother, and _especially_ to Loki. He just wants to protect you."

"I don't _need_ to be protected. I don't need to be hidden here. I'm not some priceless relic."

"But you are priceless. To all of us, to _him_. He loves you Kagome, you know that. And he's never been this way with someone before, not like he is with you. He's not trying to hurt you, he's trying to keep you."

Her anger reduced to a simmer, still lingering but cooling just a little as her heart perked back up to receive love instead of hurt. She sighed and leaned her head against Thor's shoulder.

"I guess."

"Luckily this won't take long. We'll be back tonight. Talk to him, and wait until tomorrow to tear his head off so I can watch."

She giggled, feeling the weight of her troubles lift a little, and made her way back to her rooms to wait for her insufferable lover's return.

* * *

Loki walked in and knew at once that he was still in trouble.

His little priestess was sat in the middle of their bed, propped against the wall, arms crossed and brow furrowed.

He sighed, ready for another fight.

She was stubborn. He had known she wouldn't just back down from this, hadn't cared at the time.

If he was being honest he still didn't care.

He did hate when there was such discord between them though.

"Welcome back."

Her voice was cold and icy and it chilled him just a bit.

"Thank you. I missed you."

She turned her face away from him with a huff.

"You didn't even miss me."

With her eyes closed and her attention turned away, he allowed himself a fond smile. She could be so adorably childish in her anger.

"Wipe that smile off your face."

She cut angry eyes back at him and he lifted his hands in surrender.

"Sorry, I'm not trying to make light of your feelings."

"Like you care about my feelings."

He rolled his eyes and heaved an exasperated sigh, walking further into their room and sitting next to her on the bed.

"Of course I care about your feelings. I don't find pleasure in angering you."

She whipped her head around and the tears shimmering in her eyes shocked him.

"You had no right to keep me from going today Loki. You don't get to make those decisions for me."

"Of course I have the right to protect you Kagome, don't be-"

"I don't need your protection. I've gone out on plenty of assignments with and without you since I've been here, this would have been no different!"

"Of course it would have been different. This wasn't _Alfheim_ Kagome, your sparkly little fairy land full dreams and wonder. This was a dangerous venture somewhere very dark, and I'll not see you in a place like that."

They were yelling again, and Kagome's tears had broken free, running down her face. Loki longed to reach out and wipe them away, but she backed away from him if he tried to press closer.

"I am not a child! I've battled darkness before and I can and will do it again! I don't want to be trapped here, I want to be useful!"

He sat down again and finally reached out, brushing the wetness from her cheeks, pleased when she didn't jerk away.

"You are useful, never think otherwise. I didn't get father to change his mind in sending you with us because I felt you wouldn't be useful. I did it because I am a selfish being, and I do what I want. And what I wanted, my darling, was to keep you safe and unharmed. The longer we are together, the stronger that desire grows. It is not in my nature to lay my own desires down for the benefit of another, Kagome. But for you... I will try."

She stared unblinking into his eyes, scrutinizing his every word, every flicker of his aura, every color of his soul. She relaxed just a little, the rigidity in her frame softening.

"You won't sabotage my chances to go on anymore missions?"

"I don't usually have a reason to do so. Today was especially dangerous but... no, I will try not to 'sabotage' you again. Not if it will hurt you this badly. Do you understand why I did it tonight?"

She slouched forward, resting her forehead against his chest and his hand immediately came up to brush through her hair.

"Because I'm so amazing and you just love me too much?"

He chuckled, staring down at the top of her head affectionately.

"At least part of that is true."

She peeked up at him, glaring and poking his chest.

"Which part?"

"You truly are amazing."

Her mouth turned down in an exaggerated frown and she clutched at her heart.

"Not the love part?"

He leaned his forehead against hers and stroked her cheek, treasuring her sweet little sigh and the way she clinged to his wrist.

"No. I don't love you too much, that makes it sound wrong. You could never be wrong."

Her heart melted and her soul warmed until she felt like the sun. She tucked herself up under his chin and squeezed him tight, a new wave of tears, happy ones, burning past her eyes.

"I love you too, Loki."


	33. Chapter32

The palace of the Asgardian royal family had many gardens both public and private. But the gem of them all was a small, secret little oasis just off the queen's rooms, locked away from all but those she personally invited.

Loki sat at a small table in a shady corner with his mother, sipping tea and reading, enjoying her gentle company. There was a time once when his mother had been the only person he'd felt truly, completely loved and accepted with. He and Thor were close of course, and his other friends were great, but there were sides to him that they hadn't been able to get, not like his mother.

Not until...

Loki looked out across the garden lawn and smiled softly. Kagome was laughing happily with Thor, playing with some fluffy domesticated animal she'd found that now lived in his mother's garden. They were trying to teach it tricks she'd said people on earth taught their pets. He didn't much care for that sort of thing, so he'd left them to it. But he'd enjoyed watching the way her face lit up in unbridled joy, every nuance of her heart able to be read across her face.

She was always that way, never hiding herself, an open book, so very different to how he'd always conducted himself. He was always putting on a front, spinning a lie, playing a trick, misdirecting. It was what he was made of, shifting shadows of mischief, mayhem, trickery, shrouded in mystery. Able to hide from anyone.

Anyone but her.

She could see straight through to the truth of him, past every layer of deceit and secrecy he was wrapped in. And still she loved him.

And he liked it.

It was refreshing to find the one person he couldn't lie to, the one person who could always tell what he was feeling or thinking. And being the lord of lies himself meant _she_ couldn't be false with _him_ either. It was the easiest love he'd ever felt. He'd had no choice really, once he'd decided to let her closer, get to know her, he'd been doomed from the start.

He certainly didn't care at this point.

His mother chuckled knowingly next to him, drawing his attention away from the little priestess he'd been watching.

"What?"

She patted his cheek, smiled her sweet, motherly smile that had always made him feel so safe and loved.

"Nothing my boy. I'm just pleased you've found such happiness. She's a wonderful girl, one we all already love so much."

He nodded, looking down at his largely ignored book, tapping his fingers on the pages.

"It would be no hardship at all officially adding her to the family then?"

At his mother's soft gasp he looked back up. She gripped his hand, tears filling her eyes, love pouring from her soul.

"Oh Loki, are you saying what I think you are?"

"Is there any specific royal protocol I should be aware of for proposing marriage to a human woman?"

She laughed brightly, grabbed his face and pulled him to her, kissing his cheeks as she'd done since he was a child.

"No my son, none at all! But I want to be the first to know once you've asked her!"

* * *

If anyone had been around to see him, they would have said he as floating down the hallway.

He was glad no one was there, but he didn't care how silly he may have looked to anyone who might have seen him.

Loki was... happy.

That's it, just happy.

He was about to fully claim something that was just his, something he hadn't had to fight to prove himself for.

Kagome's heart was the dearest thing he had, and he was thrilled to think he was that much closer to binding it to him more permanently.

He was going to his father's study to inform him of his plans to propose marriage to Kagome, making her a legally official part of the family.

A _princess_. It was only what she deserved as far as he was concerned.

He stopped abruptly at the door, hand on the knob, when he heard muffled voices inside.

His mother was already here.

"Isn't it wonderful dear? A wedding! I'm so very pleased. I can tell she makes him very happy."

"Yes yes. Very good. But I can't help but wish she and Thor had gotten on instead. She'd make a remarkable queen, would she not?"

Loki felt his heart falter and fall into his gut. The breath in his lungs rushed out as shock, hurt and disgust filled his chest.

"Don't you say that to anyone else Odin. Loki is just as deserving of happiness as-"

"I know I know, Frigga that's not what I'm saying at all. Just that it's a bit of a shame she won't be queen."

Loki backed away slowly, struggling to draw air into his lungs, blinking away the sting behind his eyes.

His father didn't even think he deserved the woman who loved him? Who'd had every opportunity to fall in love with his brother yet still chose him above every other?

Was there _nothing_ his father wouldn't give to Thor over him?

He spun and ran back up the hall, desperate to get away, to get some space...

To get to her.

He found her in the main library talking with Sif and Dalla. She must have sensed him coming, she was already standing, waiting for him to enter, concern shining in her big blue eyes.

"Loki? What's wrong?"

He grabbed her and with a flourish of magic and a puff of green smoke they were gone from the library and falling into their bed.

She was stunned speechless as he kissed roughly up her neck, across her face, down the other side, his hands roaming everywhere, moving her clothes.

The hurt and anguish swirling around around him cut into her, sliced at her heart.

There was no lust here, only urgency and desperation.

She grabbed his face and pulled him up to meet her eyes.

"Loki, what's wrong? What happened?"

He blinked and the haze in his mind rolled back some, but his hard frown remained.

"Who do you belong to?"

Her brow drew down in confusion and she searched his face for some clarity.

"What?"

"Tell me!"

"You! Loki, it's you. Always."

His breathing began to slow, and the torrential storms in his mind broke apart as the light of her burst through.

"And who do _you_ belong to?"

She said it so softly, but there was an edge to it, a firmness to her expression.

'_Reciprocate_,' it said. '_Give AND take._'

"You."

Her arms wrapped tight around his neck, her legs around his waist, and she pulled him back down to her, prepared to give anything he needed.

And he was prepared to do the same.

* * *

They had missed dinner, but that was fine.

She wanted to stay right where she was for as long as possible. She pressed her hand over his heart, feeling its strong, steady beat, so different from the wild tempo from earlier. She still didn't know exactly what had happened, he wouldn't say, but she'd nonetheless helped him, so she wouldn't press. She would just enjoy being with him.

"Kagome?" His voice was quiet, unwilling to burst the bubble of peace and contentment they floated in.

"Hm?"

He hesitated, his thumb drawing lazy circles on the skin of her shoulder as he contemplated timing and placement.

"You would make a wonderful queen."

Her lashes tickled the skin of his chest as her eyes popped open in confusion. His hand left her shoulder to thread through her hair, hoping to keep her calm and soothed.

"Um, thanks? I guess?"

"Have you ever thought of it? Of being queen?"

She snorted and shifted closer, pressing to tighter to his side.

"No. Why the heck would I want something like that? I just want to be with you."

He rolled over her, hovering, searching her gaze with his own.

"Marry me."

She gasped, tears already filling her eyes.

"Marry me. I cannot give you a throne, but-"

With a grunt of surprise he found _himself_ pinned as she flipped them both. Kisses and tears peppered his face and her wet little giggles were precious music.

"I don't want a throne, stupid! Just You. Of _course_ I'll marry you! Did you even think I'd say _no_?!"

Her happiness ebbed around them and he basked in the glow of her love, letting it fill some of the empty spots and cracks in his soul.

No, he would never have the throne.

He would never have his father's respect or recognition.

But if that could be alright with _her_, maybe, in time, it could be alright with him.


	34. Chapter33

_A.N.: a small piece of fluff. Someone asked how long it's been with all the time skips; Kagome has been on Asgard for roughly 250 years _

Up until the moment she'd fallen down the Bone Eater's well on her 15th birthday, Kagome's life had actually been fairly typical.

And as a young, typical girl, Kagome had spent her fair share of hours daydreaming about her future wedding.

Would she have a traditional Japanese wedding? Would she forgo tradition and have a western wedding? Would she blend both ideas into something special and unique? She had plenty of time to figure it out and imagining all the ways she could bring about that "special day" was a fun way for a little girl to pass the time.

And then she'd fallen down the well and fallen in love with a half demon boy from feudal Japan. If she'd gotten her way back then, marriage and weddings were going to look _very_ different from her previously modern daydreams.

And then her world and life had changed _again_.

Now she actually had a real wedding looming, an actual ceremony meant to seal her in marriage to another person, and it was nothing like she'd ever thought it might be.

It wasn't just that she had Asgardian wedding culture to contend with, she was marrying a _prince_. She would be having a full on royal wedding, and she had absolutely no point of reference for how to plan something of that magnitude of importance. So, she let her betrothed and her mother-in-law handle it. She had every say in flowers and menus and silks, but she left the ritual of it all to the experts.

And experts they were. Loki always brought her along when it was time to plan or work something out, but she often just took the step back and watched mother and son hammer out details and fuss over imperfections.

They were so alike in their dedication to perfection, style, drama... it was endlessly endearing to witness.

She picked up on of the long stemmed flowers laid out on the table and twirled it around, watching the colors in its petals whirl together into a soft, peachy cream, and it triggered a memory.

Her grandfather, spending endless days in his store houses, counting his treasure over and over. She remembered being very young and following him out there, listening with big round eyes and all the curiosity of a child as he'd take out each priceless piece, show it to her, tell her it's history. One thing that hadn't really piqued her interest so much, but meant very much to him, was an antique San San Kudo set glazed in this very shade of pale peach. It was lovely, but plain, so she hadn't found it near as nice to look at as some of the other things he had, but he'd told her how it had been used at his wedding when he'd married her grandmother, her father and mother had used it, and he couldn't wait till he could see her and then later her brother use it as well.

She blinked a few thin tears from her eyes and sat up, her unexpected sniffle drawing the attention and concern of her newfound family.

"Kagome? What's wrong?"

She waved off Loki's concern and smiled.

"I... I have a request."

"Of course my girl, it is your wedding after all." Frigga replied with a sweet expectant smile.

"I know that this isn't a regular wedding, I am marrying the prince after all," she said shyly, looking down at her hands which twisted at some of her dress fabric. "There are a lot of things we'll have to do that I have no clue about and that's fine. But I just, if it's alright, there's something from my culture I'd like to try and incorporate."

Loki gently grazed his knuckles against her cheek and she leaned into his touch.

"Anything darling. Name it."

"Okay, well, in Japanese weddings we have this thing called San San Kudo. It's a ceremonial drinking of sake out of a special set of cups. We do it during the ceremony as a way to seal the couple getting married. I would really love it if we could fit it in."

Frigga and Loki looked at each other and she could see the wheels turning between them. She grinned and sat back, knowing it would be best to leave it all to them.

"We'd have to shuffle a couple of things but it can certainly be done, something like this is too important."

"Indeed mother, there are even a few things we could leave out entirely."

"And we have more than enough time to commission these special cups. Kagome darling, can you draw us a diagram?"

"Of course. One last thing," she picked the flower back up and rolled the stem through her fingers again, making the mottled colors of the petals blur back into that soft, solid peach. "Can they be this color?"

Loki plucked the flower from her fingers and dropped a kiss onto the top of her head.

"_Anything_ you want."


	35. Chapter34

"Oh My Lady, you look stunning!"

"She's right Kagome, it's perfect."

She grinned over at Dalla and Sif, so glad her closest girlfriends had come with her. She looked back into the mirror she stood in front of and took a deep, steadying breath.

A wedding dress.

It was probably the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen, and she could scarcely believe it was for her.

But it was, and she had to push away the feeling she didn't deserve it and move straight into fawning over it, the poor dressmaker she'd gotten to know over the centuries was antsy at her silence.

She looked him in the eyes, her own watering with tears, and thanked him with all of her heart.

"It's... _beautiful_. Really, I don't know what else to say..."

"Don't say anything yet." Frigga stepped forward with a secret smile, holding a small box Kagome hadn't noticed her carry in with her.

She opened it, and pulled out a thin but ornate little circlet. Kagome knelt down to let her place on her head and then paled at the sight of it in the mirror.

A crown.

"Oh... I-"

"Oh my darling, you look absolutely beautiful."

She smiled gratefully, but this was the tipping point for her. It was too much.

"Frigga I... a crown? I can't accept- it's too much for me to wear a crown. I'm not a princess."

Frigga grabbed her gently by the hand and led her to a seat on a small plush couch, keeping hold of her hands and looking all over her face.

Kagome's cheeks bloomed a light rose color and averted her eyes for a moment before her chin was gently raised again by Frigga's finger.

"Do you miss your mother my darling?"

She gasped a little, her breath catching in her throat.

"What... how-?"

"You've been out of sorts since we arrived. You haven't been this uncomfortable being dressed since you first came to us. I'm so sorry I didn't consider this a possibility. In truth dear... I sometimes forget you aren't really mine."

Her tears fell then, though she tried so hard to hold them back. She didn't know what she should feel. Sadness that her birth family was missing this, shame that she wasn't more grateful for all that had been given to her, disgust that she could still so easily fall into self doubt. But her sweet adoptive mother leaned forward and embraced her, stroking her hair, and when she pulled back, she lifted the little circlet from her head and looked at it with a small, fond smile.

"First things first child, I want no guilt from you for missing your family. This is a big, exciting time and they cannot be here. That's hard, no matter how long you've been a part of _this_ family. You can be sad _and_ happy at the same time. Now, about this. This tiara was mine. I wore it when I married Odin, and I remember wondering if one day I'd have a daughter of my own to pass it down too. The fates chose not to give me one through my own womb, but they gave me one through you, and I would be honored if you would wear this when you wed my son and become his bride. And then you _will_ be a princess, so your other protestation is no longer valid."

Giggling despite her tears, Kagome gingerly lifted the little crown from Frigga's hands, admiring the sparkly, faceted jewels set within it. She placed a hand on her heart, speechless, heartsick and filled with immense gratitude.

"Thank you. Thank you so, so much."

With final fitting pins and marks made, she went into a little changing room to get back into her everyday clothes. A little pouch of things she'd brought with her fell to the floor and she remembered a small errand she needed to run as the jeweler was close by.

"Hey guys? You all go on ahead, I need to... run into the local market... for some things."

She waved off any protests with assurances she could get back to the palace, and when they were out of sight, she snuck away, her goal of making a wedding surprise for Loki forefront in her mind.

* * *

Once the heavy doom and gloom of the gnawing absence of her birth family had been allowed to leech from her heart, Kagome finally felt giddy.

She hopped around on the bed, squealing in delight, trying to convey the beauty of her wedding dress to Loki without revealing _too_ many details.

He smiled indulgently at her all the while, simply watching her light up as she babbled on about beading and embroidery and feeling like a princess and the way her nose wrinkled when he reminded her she _was_ a princess.

She threw herself down next to him, snuggling close and he turned and wrapped his arms around her.

"Not yet, jerk."

He chuckled in her ear and then smirked when the sound sent a shiver down her spine.

"Well, I know you looked exquisite. You always do."

She blushed and then fiddled with some of the closures on his clothing, getting lost in her thoughts.

"It's very, very different from what I would have worn as a bride back on earth."

"Oh?"

"Yes, I probably would have ended up wearing a kimono. That's kind of sort of like a robe made of silk. It's more complicated than that but, you get the idea. That's what's traditional where I'm from."

"Would you prefer to wear such a thing?"

She thought about that for a moment, remembering all her day dreams of childhood and how they'd never consistently featured traditional wedding kimonos over western wedding dresses. She'd hadn't been sure then, had been too young to need to make a choice. Now the choice had been taken from her. It wasn't a big deal, really, but she was sure her mother would have liked to see her all trussed up like a Japanese bride.

"I don't know," she said with a shrug. "It's not like it matters now, anyway, and the dress I'm wearing is a dream! I'm happy no matter what!"

She soon settled down into sleep, her features soft and lovely and he just gazed at her before an idea tickled the back of his mind.

His little bride was not Asgardian, he knew that, he'd never forgotten. She was a human being from a country with cultural practices different from his own.

So far the only concession she'd asked for had been a small, simple little ritual added to the ceremony and nothing else.

He knew she had a tendency to put her own wants and even needs aside in favor of everyone else, and he suspected something similar was happening now.

Well, it was lucky she was marrying _him_ and not some other imbecile who didn't have the means of getting what he wanted.

He knew if he asked it would take a tremendous feat of strength and will to extract what he wanted from her.

But he didn't have to ask...

He would confess _later_, and apologize if necessary.

But for now...

He placed a soft touch to her forehead, and delved into her memories, looking only for the information that suited his purposes. He would go after that and no more.

He pulled away from her after just a few moments, and laid back with a satisfied smirk.

He had a trip to the tailors to make tomorrow.


	36. Chapter35

_A.N.: It's a beautiful day, it's a rather nice day, a day for a glorious wedding_

"Well, this is it guys. It's today, the day of days."

Dalla burst into peals of excited giggles, though Sif only rolled her eyes.

"Kagome, you're always so dramatic."

Kagome winked at them through the reflection of the mirror she sat in front of while Frigga's personal lady's maid fixed her hair for what was to be one of the sweetest days of her life. She'd insisted that Dalla be given the day off and could only attend as a dear friend. And though it wasn't entirely customary on Asgard, she had both she and Sif with her as she got ready. It was how they did things on Earth, and she _was_ from Earth, after all.

Frigga swept in, looking every inch the radiant, motherly queen she was. She carried with her the box with her little circlet and ushered in the dressmaker, who carried her dress in a shiny, gilded box.

"Oh my dear girl, you look marvelous. Now, it's time to get you dressed, it's almost time to begin!"

She placed the circlet carefully over Kagome's hair, and then walked with her to the box, Dalla and Sif at their heels, all bursting with anticipation to see the final product.

A small, folded note sat on top of the garment box, Loki's unmistakable signature the only thing written on it.

With a confused frown she picked it up and unfolded it, confusion only growing when she read what he'd written inside.

_'I will explain later, I promise. See you soon, my dear one.'_

"What? What does he-"

She gasped when the dressmaker opened the box and revealed not the shimmering beads and frothy gold fabric of the dress she'd tried on in his shop just weeks ago, but vibrant, hand painted silk.

The note fluttered from her fingers to the floor, and she distantly heard Dalla pick it up and read it out loud, but her eyes, thoughts and heart were all on the garment that she slowly, carefully, lovingly lifted from the box.

It was not a wedding dress, it was...

"An uchikake..." bright red Asgardian silk had been crafted into the wedding finery of her birth country, painted in all the flowers she'd loved from Alfheim in lush colors and detail. Tears fell unchecked down her cheeks, clouding her vision. She pressed her hand to her mouth to stifle her sobs, letting the silk wedding robe fall back to the box and on top of the white silk of the wedding kimono she could see underneath. Frigga hugged her shoulders from behind and Sif found her a handkerchief. She dabbed her eyes and calmed her tears while they shushed her and crooned softly to her, and after a moment, she looked back down at her sweet surprise. She didn't know how he'd managed it, but she was so, so glad he had.

"It's traditional Japanese wedding clothing. I don't... I don't know how..."

"You are pleased then, my lady?" The dress maker twisted his hands together, anxious to hear of a job well done, to know he'd delivered well on an unusual order for a rather momentous occasion.

"Oh yes, it's so perfect. You've outdone yourself, really you have."

Blushing and flustered he waved off her praise, gave a low bow and fluttered from the room.

"Well, lets get to it guys, we should get started now or we'll be late!"

* * *

Asgardian weddings, while having their own sets of rituals that were wholly unique to anything she'd heard before, _did_ have the concept of an aisle to walk down. But the two people getting married each walked down opposite aisles and met in the middle under an arch of symbolic flowers. The arch that had been made for their wedding was large and made of highly polished gleaming gold etched with a stylized image of the bifrost. The flowers had been arranged and fastened around the arch to mimic the rainbow colors of the bifrost, and also hung from the top, as if the bridge itself was melting over then. Petals from those same flowers had been removed and scattered all across the floor, covering hems and feet like colorful snow. Thor, Odin And Frigga were all arranged in the center under the arch, waiting for she and Loki to meet them. She walked by herself, as was customary, eyes slipping right over her family waiting under the arch and meeting the gaze of her soon to be groom, the air rushing from her lungs once more at the heart stopping sight of him smiling back at her with so much love, happiness, devotion, even a little smugness, and dressed as a traditional Japanese groom. Though his garments had been made from his trademark green instead of the usual black and grey, she could not hold back another round of tears at what he'd done, just for her.

They met in the center, and he winked at her as he took her hands in his, and together they turned toward his father, The King of Asgard and the All-Father, to be joined irrevocably together.

Official words and vows were spoken, traditional rituals including the san san kudo from her side were performed, and then they turned together toward the crowd and the much wider aisle that cut through it that they'd walk down together.

A flourish of Loki's magic zipped over them as Odin made the final announcements and they stood in traditional Asgardian wedding clothes, and Kagome was pleased to see the other wedding dress that had been made for her.

Odin's voice boomed over the gathered crown who waited breathlessly for their chance to cheer.

"I, Odin, All-Father, King of Asgard and Guardian of the Nine Realms bestow a new title today, to one who came to us not of blood but of circumstance. Possessing power and immortality, Asgard has accepted her into her fold, adopted her, made her one of us. As Asgard has spoken through me, so it shall be done. I now present Prince Loki of Asgard, God of Lies, Mischief, Chaos and Stories and his bride Kagome, princess of Asgard, and Demi-goddess of honesty, purity, and selfless sacrifice."

She gasped. That had certainly never been discussed with her, but the latent energies of Asgard swelled under her feet and rushed through her body, filling her with a new sense of depth and vitality, a spiritual strength she'd never thought possible. With little choice but to accept it, she smiled breathlessly up into the glittering eyes of her new husband, and as all those gathered before her, friends, acquaintances, and political guests alike, cheered in loud unison, she and Loki walked up the center aisle together.

* * *

The party had raged for hours, was still raging truthfully, but they had been beyond ready to retire. She had been waiting to finally grill him about their surprise change in wardrobe, but apparently he had other ideas.

No sooner had the door to their room shut tight was he pushing her against the wall, pressing hot kisses to the skin of her neck.

"Wait."

He stepped back with a blink and then frowned and crossed his arms.

"Wait?! What-"

"How did you do it?" She gestured to her dress and to her eternal astonishment he winced.

"I did something..."

"Loki, what did you do?" She asked, suspicion edging her voice, and he took another small step back.

"It's not something I've ever done to you before, nor do I plan to ever do it again, not without your knowledge. It was simply a means to an end."

"_Loki_. Just tell me."

"I took the knowledge straight from you. If I want, I can delve into a person's memories. I don't do it often, it's not as fun to extract secrets that way. Anyway, I could tell this would mean a lot to you when you spoke of it, so I went into your memories and found _only_ those pertaining to wedding clothes and that's it. On my honor... whatever I have left of it."

She could tell he was being completely honest with her, there was not a flicker of deceit anywhere in him, but she still wanted to make him sweat a little. After a few moments staring blankly at him she smiled, and he visibly relaxed.

"Alright, I believe you. And it really was the most beautiful surprise, thank you so much."

He stepped forward again, bringing his arms up around her waist, nuzzling into the sensitive skin behind her ear.

"You deserve it all and more my princess."

His hot breath on her flesh made her shiver, but there was still one last thing she had to get done.

"Wait!"

"Now what?!"

"I have something for _you_ now."

"You do?" He sobered quickly and she hurried to one of her clothing drawers where she'd hidden his small gift that had only just been completed the day before.

"It's not much, you may hate it and that's fine, I'll totally understand, but I wanted to do _something_ for you so I thought of this and feel free to tell me if you hate it I swear I won't-"

"Kagome." He cut off her rambling, chuckling fondly and holding his hand out. "I'm sure whatever it is will be wonderful. Just give it here."

With nervous hesitation she passed the pouch over and watched with nervous eyes as he opened it and dumped its contents into his palm. His brows raised a little at the sight of it, a small, polished round gem, perfectly clear but for subtle pink eddies swirling inside it, strung into a simple leather cord.

"It's protective. That's some of my reiki in there. If something ever happened and I couldn't be there, it would save your life. I know you're capable of defending yourself but... I just want to make sure you're _always_ safe."

Wordlessly he slipped the cord around his neck, and then slipped his hands back around her waist, pressing his forehead to hers with a soft smile.

"It's perfect Kagome. Thank you. I shall never take it off."

She sighed in relief and then giggled as he tugged at the skirt of her dress and began walking them toward the foot of their bed.

"I would, however, like to take _this_ off of _you_, if you don't mind. Are we quite finished with the chit chat?"

"Yes Loki, we are 'quite finished with the chit chat.'"

"Well then."

He scooped her up and tossed her onto the mattress, and her heart beat quickened as she scooted back across it until she hit the far wall. She watched with growing hunger as Loki crawled up the length of their bed, his feline grace and the dangerous glint in his eye making her very aware that he was a predator, and tonight, she was his prey.

"Come now, my little Demi-goddess, let me worship you."

Kagome's last coherent thought for the night was though she'd lived among gods for nearly 300 years, _tonight_ she was in heaven.

_A.N.: I made all this up I don't know anything about Asgardian weddings lmao _


	37. Chapter36

**Book 3: Fate's Design, Fate's Decay **

***250 years later, Kagome has been on Asgard roughly 500 years **

Loki paced outside the family sitting room listening to Kagome try to reason with his brother. She could "call him on his shit," as she referred to it, much more bluntly than any of the rest of them could, so if someone was going to get through to him it would be her.

But by the sound of things, it wasn't going well. There was yelling, there was stomping, though he wasn't worried for Kagome's safety. While his brother was impulsive and certainly enjoyed resorting to violence, he loved Kagome and would never harm her. If anyone in that room was in physical danger it was certainly Thor. Kagome may not have been as naturally physically strong as they were, but he'd seen what happened to those who underestimated her for any reason.

He shuddered at a memory before he resumed his eavesdropping.

Though _eavesdropping_ wasn't a very good term, they knew he was out there, especially Kagome.

_Supervising_. He was supervising.

"I will always do what is necessary to keep Asgard safe from all harm as is my right as king. I will not be questioned!"

"Well you aren't king yet, buster, and if you think I'm just going to suddenly keep my mouth shut because you get a fancy crown then I don't know what to tell you. Prepare to be disappointed!"

Loki smirked. His wife certainly had a lot of nerve. It had been endlessly entertaining in their years together. The longer she'd been on Asgard with them, the less reverence for them as gods she had, and the more "in their place" she was willing to put people who looked down on her, not that there were many. Mostly people visiting from elsewhere. But it never ceased to make him proud that she was his.

"You have no idea what it takes to rule and protect something like this Kagome. I _will_ fight to keep our homeland safe!"

"_EXCUSE ME_?!"

Loki winced. Nothing good _ever_ came from Kagome taking _that_ tone with anyone. He may end up an only child after all.

"Have you forgotten where I came from? Why I'm even here in the first place?! I know _exactly_ what it means to give everything for your homeland! I lost _everything_ fighting to keep my home and family safe! Don't you _ever_ tell me-"

"Kagome I'm sorry, I-"

"And another thing! No one is trying to tell you never to fight. We're _trying_ to tell you that rushing straight to war over every little slight is dangerous. Maybe you aren't the only one who knows things, Thor. Maybe!"

"_GGRRRRAAAHH_!" Thor growled, and then something slammed down on a table.

"Kagome you are so-!"

"I'm so _what_?! Helpful?! I'm trying to help you!"

"No! You sound just like him! You've been speaking with father, haven't you? He put you up to this!"

Kagome snorted and Loki could just see her crossing her arms, rolling her eyes...

"Your father doesn't put me up to shit. I do what I want!"

Loki smirked with pride.

'_She got that from me_.'

"I don't have time to deal with this anymore. I've got a meeting with father."

The sitting room door slammed open and Thor stomped out, not sparing him even a passing glance. Kagome drifted out, wilted and sad, tired tears gathering in the corners of her eyes.

She stared at him and shrugged, and he opened his arms. She ran into him, hunkering down in his embrace, sniffling against his clothes.

"That went well."

She glared up at him, and though his own thoughts were darkening, he couldn't help but smile down at her.

"I could try to convince father to postpone things again, but he writes me off as the jealous younger brother and refuses to listen."

Her frown deepened again and she sighed, relaxing bonelessly against him, trusting him to hold her up.

"He really could be a good king, if he'd learn to listen. I know he loves Asgard, and all of us... he really does want to do what's best.

But he also wants the glory of war. War is... not something you do for glory. I'm worried about him. I'm worried about... I'm just worried."

He tilted her face up, meeting her eyes, and she felt breathless at the depth of sincerity in them. No flickers or swirls of mischief, only endless fathoms of love and honesty.

"Remember what you told me before, we're in this together. I will never let any harm come to you, no matter what."

The faintest hint of rose bloomed across the bridge of her nose, and she wordlessly rested her cheek back over his heart, closing her eyes with a tired sigh.

She'd told him once that she liked listening to it drumming away, proof of his life. He scratched at her scalp and he felt some of her tension wither away.

He heard the servants begin preparing the family dining hall for the next meal, which meant another family table meeting about the upcoming coronation. The last few had been wrought with tension since Thor's last disagreement with their father over how to handle a slight from another kingdom. Odin wanted to maintain peace at all costs, Thor wanted to set an example... it had all been a mess ever since.

And it was made ever more clear to Loki that he'd never truly had his father's respect, as any and every suggestion that Thor was not ready was swiftly and harshly shut down.

"Thank you, Loki. I love you."

Determination hardened in his heart.

Something had to be done. Soon.

He would make his father see, he would prove himself.

He would keep them safe.

He would keep _her_ safe.

Something had to be done.


	38. Chapter37

_A.N.: I made a big boo boo trying to upload the last chapter and accidentally replaced the wedding chapter with it so it was added twice. Something has changed on the FFN app and I'm already tech illiterate enough so I goofed big time lmao. It's all been fixed, so here's a "sorry for the confusion I have caused, my mind is as boggled as yours" bonus chapter. Also have I celebrated yet that this story hit 200 REVIEWS?! You guys. That's insane. I love you. _

Kagome flicked a glance to the seat next to hers and her nerves strained ever further.

Loki sat upright with a serene face and proper posture, but his own restlessness and agitation swirled around her like a thick fog. The only outward sign of his upset was the way he lightly traced invisible patterns on her open palm, occasionally tapping out a little rhythm before returning to tracing.

Her eyes roved over his beloved profile for a few moments. She smiled softly when he looked over, caught her stare, and lifted her hand to press a kiss to the back of it.

He returned to his fidgeting, and she tried to turn her attention back to the meeting they were in. Odin stood in front of a very small crowd of officials and announced that his retirement was imminent, and that Thor would be taking the throne. It was the first step in the process that would end with a large coronation, and was the focal point of Loki's current state of emotional upheaval.

And she couldn't say she didn't understand.

She knew them both very, very well. She had seen with her own eyes how Thor let his battle lust cloud his rational judgement. Diplomacy was not in his nature, it was something he struggled to learn to utilize before resorting to Mjolnir. And Loki's concerns continued to be brushed aside by their father as jealous tirades.

Maybe they were, just a little, but she could tell he _was_ actually concerned. And so was she, just not to the same degree.

Thor trusted them, and though he was stubborn and hard headed, she was confident they could help steer him away from any rash decisions that would be too detrimental.

But every time Odin downplayed Loki's concerns or belittled his skills Loki became harder and harder to bring back to contentment.

She feared there had been too much damage done by Odin's blatant favoritism.

She shifted her focus to the bell of the ball, the heir himself, standing next to his father tall and proud, oozing confidence in his abilities in his place on the throne, in his love for his kingdom.

Her heart softened, and that stinging, tearing feeling came back, the one she'd been battling for far too long.

Because as much as she understood Loki's hangups, she was also immensely proud of her best friend and brother.

He was probably _not_ ready for this at all, but he was so excited, and Thor was really really _cute_ when he was excited. He bounced around like a hyper puppy and she couldn't help but be happy for him. She wished Odin bad not sewn such discord, could see the worth in his second son, but she did _not_ hope that Loki got to surpass his brother, she did not want to be queen.

She just wanted harmony. Loki had grown in shadows cast by people destined for greatness. He'd even been told _he'd_ been destined for greatness. And then he'd been ignored.

She shook her head, attempting to clear it of these awful cyclical thoughts.

'_It's going to be fine. Everything will be fine.'_

Their meeting adjourned, time for lunch and mingling and beginning prep for the official announcement to all of Asgard and pretending to be a thrilled, gracious princess.

She could tell Loki was on edge. He hovered close, kept at least one hand on her at all times, refused any refreshments, and every part of him screamed 'just stay away.'

She rolled her eyes and put her glass down, grabbing his hand and pulling him away from the small, milling crowd of political and military officials and other gods coming to grovel for the good graces of the brand new almost-king, and out onto one of the small balconies on a wall facing the bifrost.

Loki looked out over the view of his home, their home, and then into the well known, well loved eyes of his beautiful little wife and tried to find a measure of calm. After so long together he had begun to be able to feel when she was wrapping her soul around him to calm his own. She was doing it now, and it drained a good measure of his stress away. She turned to lean against the balcony railing, and he stepped up close behind her and rested his chin on the top of her head.

She was so soft, so small, he practically dwarfed her with his height, but she was a powerful, dangerous little spit fire when she wanted to be. And she'd been just about his only tether to sanity lately. She snuggled back into him and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, breathing in the smell of her hair, the same one that had tickled his nose awake every morning for centuries now.

She peered back at him and the intensity in her eyes snared him.

"It's going to be okay. You know that, right? We're going to be okay. We're in this together. Always together."

He regarded her silently for several moments, letting those words rattle around and settle in his thoughts, in his mind. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and looked back out at the beautiful tableau of his home, the place he'd lived and loved his entire life, and he gently squeezed his beloved wife in his arms.

There was a lot at stake, a lot to lose.

He hoped she was right.

If only there was some way to know for sure.

_A.N.: Tom Hiddleston (who plays Loki, duh) is 6'2" and Kagome is canonically 5'2" if you'd like a mental picture of how much taller Loki is. He is vewy tol and she is vewy smol. Oh! And to the guest reviewer that asked if I had pic references for the wedding chapter: I do not, I'm very sorry. _


	39. Chapter38

_A.N.: it's my birthday! (And I am old) Have an update!_

**This chapter begins the part of our story that syncs up with the MCU timeline. **_I'm not afraid to change canon details to suit my purposes so if something happens in a way it didn't happen in the movies, roll with it._

**This chapter is synced with the movie Thor. **

With great care and caution, Loki snuck back into his bedroom to blessedly find his wife still sleeping peacefully.

It was passed even mid morning, breakfast was wrapping up, not that he'd gone, and she was still splayed across their sheets, hair spread out in dark, mussed curls, a look of satisfied peace on her face.

He smirked a little at that, feeling a bit smug on top of his relief that the first part of his plan had worked.

He'd needed her to be fast asleep so he could carry out a scheme of great importance, and even beyond her inherent abilities to see the intentions of others, Kagome was too damn smart and insightful for her own good. She would not have let him leave the room last night if she'd felt even the tiniest fluctuation in his aura. He was _not_ going to drug her so, as crass as it was to say... he'd just... worn her out. It was a phrase more suited to the likes of his brother but it's exactly what he had done.

And it had worked! Better than he thought it would.

She'd eventually been too exhausted to keep her eyes open any longer and her tired body fell into a deep, replenishing sleep.

He'd slipped out of the room, transformed into something small and undetectable to anyone save his wife, and slipped away.

He'd completed phase two by the start of the morning, and now was phase three.

This was going to be a very delicate situation from this moment on, and he would have to tread very, very carefully. Kagome would know he'd done _something_. Hopefully he could convince her it was a harmless prank between brothers and nothing more.

But she was smart. So so smart. To pull this off would take the upmost care and precision.

He sat on the edge of their bed and brushed a stray tentil of hair from her face, gazing lovingly at her sleep soft features, trying to calm his thoughts by focusing on her deep, even breaths.

Truthfully, he felt a little guilty that we was trying to deceive _her_ as well as everyone else.

It's not like it would work for very long, she would eventually find him out and she would be furious.

But it had to be this way. She would see that soon enough. They all would see that.

He looked out the window again. It was creeping closer to mid day, and if he didn't get Kagome up soon, she would be late for the festivities, and then she really _would_ kill him. As wary as she was about everything happening, she would not miss Thor's coronation for anything in the world.

He leaned down, brushing a soft kiss against her forehead, her nose, her mouth, until she stretched and groaned. Her eyes fluttered open and she stared blankly in the direction of his face until the sleep cleared from her vision.

And then she glared that bone chilling glare.

"There had better be a good reason you're waking me up right now, and it better not have _anything_ to do with what's inside your pants. That's the reason I'm so damn tired in the first place."

He grinned, dragging his eyes down her naked body and watching with interest as her skin flushed as his gaze passed over it.

"A tempting thought, little wife. I had only intended to wake you for the coronation, as it _is_ almost noon, but if you don't get out of bed I'll have to assume your persistent laziness is an invitation, and then we'll both miss-"

She was up and gone in a shot, shrieking that she couldn't believe he'd let her sleep so late before the doors to their bathing room slammed behind her and he chuckled as relief that he'd not revealed himself yet flooded him.

—————-

Aside from Thor, Loki was the first to arrive in the small waiting chamber. Kagome had shooed him on as she was not quite ready yet, and truthfully the less time he spent in her presence the less likely she would be to grow suspicious of him.

And it might be nice to have a few minutes with his brother. No matter what uncertainties the last months had wrought, he still loved his brother.

"Loki!"

He smiled warmly and stepped up to Thor's side, gritting his teeth and enduring Thor's spine shattering shoulder slap.

"Hello, brother. Big day."

"Indeed it is little brother. Where's Kagome?"

"She's still getting dressed. She slept in."

"I was surprised to not see her at breakfast this morning. She's usually up before the dawn when shes excited about something."

Loki glanced to the side to ensure she wasn't about to enter. She was immensely private about certain... things...

"Yes well, she was up late last night."

"And since _you_ also missed breakfast I assume you were also up late. Celebrating early I see." He laughed loudly, though Loki just grimaced at such a crude joke made at his expense.

"Something like that. Listen Thor, I am proud of you, and I love you. I am envious sometimes, but I truly am proud to be your brother."

Thor smiled softly and tugged Loki forward for a brief hug, and then his mother and Kagome arrived.

"Hey if you're giving out hugs, I want one!"

Loki stepped aside and Kagome lept into Thor's embrace, laughing as he spun her around. Then Frigga kissed both her sons' cheeks, and it was time to start.

Sif and the Warriors Three were already in place when Loki stepped through the doors with his mother on one arm and Kagome on the other. The crowd cheered and applauded, always happy to see the royal family even though they weren't the stars of this particular show. Kagome had come so far since her first nervous days here and in the public. Gone was her timidity and reluctance to be seen. Now she smiled and waved proudly. Her grace, love, selflessness and strength had won her a great many followers in her centuries here, and she always treated them all with great care and respect. His mother was most beloved of course, and he felt a great measure of pride to escort two of the strongest women on Asgard on each of his arms.

They reached the end of the procession aisle and took their places on the throne stairs, and watched Thor enter and work the crowd with all of his pride, happiness and charisma. The next minutes were a blur of nerves, happiness and anxious anticipation. Thor's swearing in was watched breathlessly by all, even Kagome, who seemed too distracted to feel Loki's internal unrest as he waited for his well planned interruption.

And then, just as Odin was about to announce the new king of Asgard, chaos struck.

"Frost Giants."

Time sped forward quickly, as the crowd turned to disperse.

Loki turned to his mother and pushed Kagome into her arms.

"Mother, take her with you, get out of here."

"Very well my son. But be careful."

"Wait, _What_?!"

He watched for several seconds as his mother pulled a loudly protesting Kagome out of the room and far away from danger.

Her safety was paramount. No matter how angry she would be at him, at least she'd be safe.

He followed his brother and father to the underground storage chamber, and readied himself to begin phase 4.

————————-

Thor didn't realize how predictable he was, how easy he was to lead into the same pitfalls over and over again.

_This_ was why he wasn't ready to be king.

He could be played like a child's instrument with almost no effort.

With a few simple words and phrases Thor was worked up and ready to commit all out treason to get his blood soaked glory.

He sent their friends away to prepare, and then it was just them.

"I will send someone for Kagome, she'll want-"

"No."

Thor blinked, suddenly unsure. He knew exactly how Kagome would react to being left behind, and she was probably already hopping mad that Loki had locked her away with their mother.

"You know how she reacts to being left out, Loki."

"Yes but... we have reason to suspect she might be... with child. You cannot say a word to anyone, we aren't sure yet. But I won't risk her safety for anything right now."

Thor's eyes lit up with profound happiness, and he _almost_ felt guilty.

"Brother that's great news! All the more reason to show these monsters we won't tolerate any danger to our home. Let us go."

—————————-

However he thought this little jaunt here would go, it was not like this.

Agent of chaos he may be, but this was _not_ supposed to happen. They were overwhelmed, swarmed, _doomed_ if someone didn't show up to intervene as they'd been supposed to.

"Don't let them touch you!"

The warning came too late as one of the frost giants grabbed him firmly around the wrist.

Loki watched his metal bracer and the leather sleeve underneath freeze solid and crumble away, but his skin underneath did not turn black as it ought to have, dying under the extreme cold of frost giant blood. He watched with confusion and dread as the hue of his skin shifted to a deep blue that matched perfectly the hand grasping him.

'_What is this? I'm not... I'm not doing this...'_

The blue spread further up his arm. He quickly dispatched the frost giant and shook his hand clean of whatever curse had overtaken it, swallowing down the panic clawing at his throat to continue fighting their way out of this mayhem.

—————————-

The casket glowed at the far end of the storage room, taunting him, mocking him, whispering all the nasty things he'd ever felt and had almost completely pushed from his heart for good.

He approached it slowly, slowly, one measured step after another until he stood right before it, felt its magic swell out and brush against him, wishing him to take hold of it and unleash it.

He would take hold of it, but only for his own purposes. He needed solid proof.

As soon as Thor had been banished to Earth he'd slunk down here to hideaway, unable to face anyone as a maelstrom brewed inside of him.

And now here he was, determined to get his answers, but petrified of what they may be.

He'd thought his father's favoritism skewed toward Thor for being the eldest and being most like him in his battle prowess.

But if what he suspected was true... then there was a much more devastating reason his father didn't love him as much.

Maybe didn't even love him at all.

He reached out with shaking hands and grabbed the handles of the casket and watched with a sinking feeling of despair as his skin began to shift again, blue bleeding up from his hands to his arms across his chest and face.

And there it was, the sure sign of his damnation, the knife in the gut of all of his dreams. _This_ was the reason he'd never stood a chance of stepping out of Thor's shadow. _This_ was the reason he'd been looked over time and time again.

He was not a son of Odin.

He was not a prince of Asgard.

If he wasn't even born here, then who was he?

Who was he?

"Stop!"

He set the casket back down on its pedestal, ready to be be done with the damn thing. He didn't want it, he didn't want this. He hadn't... he hadn't wanted _this_.

He stood paralyzed, pieces of his mind and heart cracking away, scattering about.

He could feel Odin's stare, knew he knew about his revelation, that he'd discovered the lie.

The lie.

How had he not seen it? All this time his life, his name, his title and position, his _family_ had been a lie and he'd never even noticed.

He, who had been built on turning tales and deceptions, who's very bones were knit together with chaos and lies... had been lied to.

_WHO WAS HE._

No... not who...

With tears in his eyes, choking him, he breathed a shuddering breath.

"Am I cursed?"

One last ditch effort to dispel his growing horror, admit he may be wrong.

"No."

More cracking, more splintering, more agony.

"What am I?"

"You are my son."

True enough. He detected no falsehood in that. Maybe after so much time he did see him as a son.

He turned slowly, slowly, little shards of his heart, of his mind breaking off and drifting away like the blowing flurries of ice and snow he'd apparently been born to.

He met Odin's gaze, his vision burning with anger, disgust, sadness and tears.

"_What more?"_


	40. Chapter39

_ A.N.: some small movie canon details will be changed to suit my dark authorial purposes. Try to roll with it, this is fan fiction after all! _

**The events in this chapter are synced with the movie Thor **

He sat rigid at his father's bedside watching his mother fret and hover, trying to calm the racing, whirling thoughts that wouldn't stop flying through his mind, beating against his skull. He grit his teeth against the pain, both physical and emotional, staring at the man who'd built up a life for him to sit pretty on and then ripped it away.

And then fallen into a false death to escape the consequences.

His mother tried to reassure him that Thor would be fine, father always had a purpose to his actions, but this was not about Thor, and as had just been made clear to him, Odin's machinations were nothing to hang any confidence on.

He tried to smile in return, not let on that anything else was wrong. He wondered how much she knew.

She was obviously _not_ his mother, not by birth. Did she know he wasn't Asgardian? Had she willingly raised a frost giant as her own or had Odin lied to her as well?

He was afraid to ask, afraid to shatter the illusion that one of his parents cared if she _didn't_ know. To watched her recoil in horror if she wasn't previously aware...

"It's getting late Loki, and you still haven't faced Kagome since the coronation. She's worried and upset. I know her anger is formidable but you cannot avoid her any longer. Plus, you have some rather big news to break to her do you not?"

His heart stopped altogether.

Kagome. His wife. _His wife_.

He would have to face _her_. He couldn't hide this from her, she would know.

He nodded numbly and stood, placing a soft kiss on his mother's forehead and exiting slowly, spine straight with what tatters of dignity he could scrape together.

He hoped she'd be asleep, though that was a fool's hope and he knew it. In fact, he was a fool to even hope he might make it to their room alone, as she met him at the entrance of the family wing, apparently having lost all patience to wait in their rooms.

"_You_!"

She stomped toward him, fury and worry and hurt making her power stir and whip the ends of her hair out. Distantly he thinks she's beautiful this way, but he ducks by her, avoiding her gaze and heading straight for their door, letting his anger take hold as his dominant emotion.

She wanted to fight, he could do that. That was safe enough.

"Loki are you totally fucking _insane_?! How could you let him do that? How could you think committing _genocide_ was a good idea?!"

Her voice was shrill with her panic and anger. Loki ripped the cape from his back and tossed it to the floor of their bedroom.

"Of _course_ I didn't think think it was good idea!"

"Then why didn't you try to stop him!"

"I told the guards what he was planning. I knew they'd tell father. I had no intention of letting that stupidity get as far as it did!"

"Why did you let him go in the first place? He _listens_ to you, Loki, why didn't you talk him out of it?"

"You know how he romanticizes war and conquest and victory. Even I cannot sweet talk him out of such lunacy when his battle lust has been engaged."

"Yes I _do_ know, Loki. That's why I'm so freaked out! He would really let his desire for victory lead him to straight up treason?! To _genocide_?!"

Loki turned his back to her, pretending to fiddle with some part of his clothing. He brought his hand back up and examined it, looked at the pale flesh of his fingers that he'd seen turn blue twice just this day. He couldn't possibly put any sort of words to what he was feeling, couldn't begin to convey the depths of the betrayal, the horror, the disgust that filled him up until he couldn't think straight around all of it. He needed some kind of anchoring point. His wife, his Kagome, forever honest and true, might help him find the clarity he couldn't find for himself.

"Why is it the genocide you're so hung up on and not the possibility of war coming to the shores of Asgard? They're only frost giants."

It was a test. A manipulation. A cheap one to be sure, but it was the best he could muster in his current state of distress. He hoped her own anger was intense enough to keep her from questioning him.

"Only fro- _Loki_! How could you even say that?! _Only_ frost giants?!"

"You've heard the stories! We all have! Odin tells them often enough, reminders of the monsters kept at bay by his might alone!"

"Yeah, stories Loki! Stories! Told by the victor! He _won_. He gets to say whatever he wants! I don't for one second believe there aren't innocent people in that realm who don't deserve to have your brother tear apart their world and snuff out their lives."

"People..?" He turned then to face her, face carefully blank in shock and confusion.

"Yes Loki. People. Do you know _anything_ about their society? Their family structures? Do they farm? Do they build? Do they go to school or have religious festivals? Do you _know_? There are potentially men, women and children in that world, Loki, who've never done anything to a single soul. Just because Laufey might not have a personality worth writing home about doesn't mean all of his people deserve to _die_."

He stared down at his hands in silence, trying to process her words, make sense of them, accept them. But the truth of them would not take root in his heart, in his mind.

"There's something else that's bothering you. Something more than Thor being flung to earth. What is it?"

Damn her perceptive nature.

"It's nothing." He replied shortly, turning back around, cutting her off.

"Do not lie. Not to me."

"I said it's nothing."

"And I said don't lie!"

"Leave it alone, woman."

"Tell me! How can I help if you don't tell me!"

It all became too much. Too much, too much. He felt the last tendrils of control slip and he turned on her, mad and frantic and devastated. Frozen blue bled across his skin, his eyes turned red, and the truth of him spilled out into what was supposed to be their sanctuary.

"Is this it?! Is this what you wanted?! To see the truth of the _monster_ you married?! To know your husband is not a beloved prince of Asgard but a monster king's discarded bastard? Are you happy?!"

Her brows were deeply furrowed and he could practically see the gears shifting in her mind.

"Loki... Loki are you... are you a frost giant?" Her voice was a soft, cautious whisper, and he spread his arms in a sarcastic flourish and bent forward slightly in a mocking bow.

"Ta-da."

"Oh loki..."

"Save your pity, woman!"

Quick as a blink her arms were around him. There was no recoil, no hesitation, no absence of her affection.

"I don't pity you. I can feel how much this hurts you. That hurts _me_."

"How can you act as if nothing has changed?"

"Because nothing _has_ changed. I don't care what you are, Loki. And you are not a monster."

She was not lying, of that he was absolutely certain. Her love for him had not been tainted or diminished or broken.

He sat on the edge of their bed and pulled her into his lap, where she snuggled against him and sighed. He could see them in the mirror across the room. He still wore that damnable blue mask, but his little wife had embraced him all the same.

Still, he shifted back, finding some relief in his normal appearance for the time being.

He ran his fingers through her silken hair, reluctant to shatter this illusion of peace between them, but that was not all the news he had to impart.

"Father has fallen into the Odinsleep."

"He what? Now?!"

"Yes. And with Thor banished and mother unable to leave his side, that leaves me to act as king in his stead. And you... as my queen."

Her eyes widened in horror then, and he found it distantly amusing that _this_ is what had been too much for her to handle. She truly didn't care for crowns and thrones, and while before that may have been a comfort, now he wondered sadly what he'd have to do to prove himself worthy of her.

She leaned back into him, taking some measure of comfort from the strength of his arms around her, trying to find a solid point while everything else fell into chaos.

Why... _how_ had things gone so wrong?

.


	41. Chapter40

_A.N.: things are very heavy right now, especially here in the USA. I wanted to make a quick note to all of my readers, especially any readers I have who may be POC in light of recent events, and let you all know that you have my love and support, and this will always be a safe place to come for distraction and entertainment. There's a lot to be done, a lot of change that needs to come, and I am with you, I'm on your side. This is not nearly enough, but I felt remiss not saying SOMETHING with what teeny platform I have here, anonymous as it is. _

_I really love each and every one of you that comes here to read my stories, and I want all of you to be safe and happy and healthy. _

**The events in this chapter are synced with the movie Thor**

Kagome stood rigidly at Loki's side as he addressed their friends from the throne. They pled for Thor's return, and he declined and sent them away.

They bowed one last time, addressing them both, calling her queen. She fought the bile that swam its way up her throat.

Loki turned to her, his green eyes soft and concerned, and he gently grabbed her hand and pulled her over into his lap.

"Darling, there's no need to be so nervous, I know you hate this, you never asked for it, but you were made to be a queen. I promise you you'll grow used to it."

He kissed her forehead and she choked back a sob. He was so very sincere. He meant every word, he was genuinely worried after her stress levels and her reluctance to step into her role as de facto queen while Odin and Frigga were out of commission.

But that's not what bothered her at all.

No, underneath Loki's surface sentiments something dark was swirling, something that was eating him little by little. He'd assured her he was fine about the fact that he was an adopted frost giant who'd not only been technically politically kidnapped but left to die alone in the first place, but she knew that could not be true. It just couldn't, not if the state of aura was anything to go by.

She faintly remembered long, long ago, when she'd still been in school and shortly before falling down the well, she'd had a friend who found out unexpectedly that she'd been adopted. That had caused her such grief, such major whiplash and confusion about her identity that the whole family had had to start counseling. She'd confided in Kagome about it a few times, and then her shard quest had kept her away and her friend had moved.

But if her friend had had such a hard time getting through that kind of scenario when everyone involved was a _human_, how could Loki have her believe he was just fine finding out he was another species entirely? And that wasn't even touching how this may have played into Odin's favoritism.

She reached up and lightly traced down the bridge of his nose, watched his eyes flutter closed and his aura lighten just a little at her touch.

"You know I love you, right?"

His eyes popped open and they swirled and shimmered with so many things, But her heart broke to find uncertainty there. Did he not believe her? Surely he could sense no falsity in her.

Did he... not believe he deserved it anymore?

His aura dimmed, and the little fissures of darkness spread a little further. Her heart sank as he put on an obvious mask of contentment and leaned down to once more brush his lips to her forehead.

"I'm afraid I have to go, I have much to do. I will see you tonight for dinner."

She watched him walk away, watched his aura fluctuate brokenly, and pushed down a rising well of panic.

'_What the hell am I supposed to do? He won't talk to me about this, but I KNOW it's bothering him..it's BREAKING him. He's... he's going to have a mental __break. How do I help him with this?'_

She paced and chewed her nails, taking a quick mental stock of what she knew, what her options were.

_'I never got to go to college, so I don't have even a basic psyche class to work from. But I do have a big, BIIIG library!'_

————————

'_Healing Wounds and Illnesses'_

_'The Olden Tome of Healing Arts'_

_'How to Heal a Life'_

_'Battle Scars and Backaches, an Exhaustive Guide to Healing'_

_'The Asgardian Pocket Guide to Feeling Better Fast.' _

'_When Your Aspect Goes Awry'_

Book after book after ancient book she'd found on these dusty shelves, they piled up around her, caging her in.

For hours she poured over each text, looking for any spare scrap of information she might be able to use. Her hands were littered in paper cuts but she'd long since stopped feeling their sting.

When the very last book once again turned up nothing, she gave up with a defeated sob, covering her face with her arms on the table, feeling hopeless and exhausted and so far out of her depth.

Did Asgardians just _not_ get mental illnesses? Did they never feel anxious or depressed or overwhelmed or paranoid? That didn't seem right, she was sure she'd witness some of those things and more in her centuries here. Maybe it was just... harder to break an Asgardian mind than it was a human mind? They would certainly have different brain chemistry, which would mean different treatments..

'_I don't dare ask the healers, I can't do anything to draw any more negative attention to Loki...'_

And then a thought struck.

'_Oh my gosh, how could I forget? Loki is NOT Asgardian! He's a frost giant! Which means this whole thing has been a complete waste of time. I bet there isn't one book in all of Asgard about Frost Giant physiology.'_

Despite the divinity of his aura that matched the rest of the Gods in Asgard, Loki had a frost giant body. If there was any medical way to help Loki through this crisis, it would not be in an Asgardian medical book.

'_Which means Asgard accepted him just as it accepted me. I bet he hasn't even considered that. If nothing else proved his worth...'_

She tossed the last book on the large table she'd commandeered, sending a puff of dust into her face that she waved away with a cough. Her previous high at finding something to do, finding a task that could be helpful crashed and burned at her feet. It left her feeling desolate and lost all over again.

'_And it's not like I can ask anyone, no one else knows! Unless...'_

She didn't know just how many people knew of Loki's status as a frost giant, outside of her, Odin, and Loki himself, but if Frigga knew...

She stood abruptly, and with a determined stride she went straight for Frigga and Odin's room. She knocked gently on the door, and when the queen opened it for her, she welcomed her in warmly.

"Oh Kagome, I'm so pleased to see you."

"I'm sorry I didn't come sooner, things have been... crazy, to say the least. I didn't want to intrude."

"Of course dear, I understand, but you could never intrude. Come in come in, sit down."

She sat at a little table, Frigga taking the seat across from her. Stress lines marred her brow and suddenly Kagome felt guilty for not realizing that her surrogate mother might have needed a distraction before now.

"I'm sorry about Thor. And about Odin. I can't imagine how much stress you're under."

"Oh my dear, it's quite alright. I'm certain Odin has a plan in all of this, there isn't much he does without a specific purpose."

"Still, it must be terribly overwhelming."

Frigga sighed and stared off for a moment, gathering her thoughts, always careful with what she said.

"It is. This time it is. But luckily I've got you. When Odin is in Odinsleep, I'm usually left to keep holding the mantle as queen, but with you here, I can step back and just be."

Guilt filled her again that she hadn't stepped more into her new role, however temporary it was, and she smiled wryly to herself that once again the well-being of someone else is what pushed her to do things she just didn't want to do.

"I'm not sure how well I'm doing, but... I'll try. Has... has Loki been by?"

"Oh yes, he's come to visit a few times. He's so very worried for his father, and for Thor."

"Is he?" Kagome asked, trying very hard to keep the surprise and disbelief out of her voice, but she had never been a good actor. Thankfully Frigga was too distracted to notice.

"I know there has always been some dissension and rivalry, but Thor and Loki were always close, especially growing up."

"You know, I've never thought to ask," Kagome trailed off, messing with her fingernails, aiming at nonchalant since trying to seem curious would probably make her sound as panicked as she felt. "I know Thor is older, but how much older?"

"Not by much," Frigga replied with a sigh, leaning back in her chair, casting her mind back and smiling fondly with memories. "Truthfully it's a bit odd for siblings to be so close in age here, unless they're born at the same time."

"Was it very hard giving birth to another baby so soon after the first? I have some limited knowledge how it is for human women but with gods... there are a lot of variables I'm sure."

Frigga stood and walked across the room to the window, and by the way her aura cooled, Kagome knew she was hiding her expression.

"It was a challenge, but one that's been worth it. I wouldn't change anything."

'_Clever of her to speak only truth around the lie. Maybe that's how've they've managed to hide this from Loki for so long. But at least now I know that SHE knows, and she's not talking. And I'm back to square one.'_

"I'm sure it was. I should leave you now, I've got to meet Loki for dinner. Do you have any messages to pass along?"

Frigga turned away from the window then, and came to see Kagome out of the room. She patted her cheek in that sweet motherly way that soothed fears she didn't even know you had.

"No. But I'll tell you what I've told him. I'm so very proud of you both for the weight you've taken on. Don't lose hope. Soon Thor will return and Odin will wake and all will be as it should."

She nodded and left, but Frigga's words fell through her soul and echoed like a gong, a warning bell of what was yet to come. Far from feeling reassured, Kagome found her way to the dining hall with an ever deeper sense of growing dread.

_A.N.: this may be very "Loki-Stan" of me but I genuinely believe Loki experiences some kind of mental/emotional break during the first Thor movie. For eons he lived in peace on Asgard as a prince and as Thor's beloved brother, and while his jealousy, only made worse by Odin's favoritism, did lead him to mess with Thor's coronation, his behavior grows increasingly angry and erratic once he finds out he's a frost giant. When people find out they're adopted, especially much later in life, it can be a very hard thing to reconcile and can make people feel a whole lot of things. Sometimes it's fine, but sometimes people need help to sort out what that means for them as a person, for their identity... it's a lot. Sometimes people may even act out or lash out. I think it's unfair to paint Loki as this eternal villain when for most of his life he was just fine. No one feared him, no one suspected him of being treasonous, just mischievous and a little jealous. The events of Thor really seem to be the actions of someone who's very hurt and lost. They weren't GOOD actions, I'm not trying to excuse them, but he wasn't being mean for meanness sake. Alright I'm done "discoursing." See you in the next update! _


	42. Chapter41

**The events of this chapter are synced with the movie Thor **

Kagome and Loki sat at the breakfast table alone, which was not wholly unusual. They'd had plenty of mealtimes together just the two them. They would sit close, talk softly to each other, share lazy touches and pick idly from each other's plates. They were always warm, hazy times wrapped in the peaceful, sleepy atmosphere of their personal rooms.

This morning was a cold, cruel mockery. She'd taken her usual place, but Loki had sat in Odin's usual chair. As king, it made sense, she supposed. She should probably sit where Frigga always did. The atmosphere had her on edge; She didn't feel as though she were in danger, she was never in danger with Loki, but the distress, suspicion and agitation flowing from him in waves held her spine tensely hostage. She tried not to despair at how increasingly erratic his aura was growing, instead concentrating on how he chewed intently on his thumbnail. It was not something he'd done before, such nervous habits more in line with her own personality. It spoke to his inner turmoil, and the coil of anxiety inside her twisted ever tighter.

"Are Sif and the Warriors planning something?"

She startled, dropping the bread roll she'd been ripping pieces off of but not actually eating.

"I don't know. I haven't had much time to speak with them. I think... I think they're avoiding me."

He met her eyes, his usual glittering green turning steely and hard.

"Are you certain? They haven't revealed anything to you? Anything you wish to keep hidden from me?"

Her brow furrowed and some of the tension in her spine shifted from desperate uncertainty to rapidly heating temper. All these years and she could still rely on her temper.

"Are you suggesting that I'm _lying_ to you Loki? That I would encourage treason and actually try to hide it? As if you wouldn't know immediately? Are you... are you calling me _stupid_?" The frayed state of her nerves and sudden surge of anger sent a flurry of reiki sparks to bounce and glide over her skin, and Loki's face softened for a moment, his eyes clearing as he wiped a hand down his face and sighed.

"No, I would never suggest such a thing."

"Good. See to it that it doesn't happen again."

He smirked and eyed her for a moment, slumping back in his seat casually. He looked normal, relaxed, a little lazy, but his aura still churned dark and broken.

"The spirit of a queen resides inside you, Kagome. You've been shirking your new role, but you have no need to fear it."

She glanced down at her hands, watched the napkin she fidgeted with twist in her lap.

"I just don't have these kinds of ambitions, Loki. I don't want to rule anyone. I was happy to be your wife and nothing more."

"You were always more."

Her head shot up in surprise and the crystal clear sincerity in his eyes made her heart stop. She stood and moved into the queen's chair, taking one of his hands in both of hers.

"Loki, I'm worried. There's been... too much has happened with too little time to adjust... I just..."

His eyes shuttered and darkened and he flinched a little. She might have cried out if she wasn't trying to project as much calm as possible.

"You don't think I can do this." He pulled his hand away and stood, pacing around behind the chair he'd abandoned, and his aura fluctuated madly.

"No! No Loki, I've _always_ thought you'd make a remarkable king. All I'm saying is you've been through a lot in a short period of time with no chance to sit and let things settle. Anyone would be overwhelmed. Heck _I'm_ overwhelmed!"

He was back in a flash, soft and open and concerned, the abrupt swing of his emotions adding another weight on her heart.

"Dearest, why did you not say something sooner? If you need to take the day to rest I can carry on just fine on my own for now."

"No Loki, that's not... I don't need-"

He cradled her face in his hands, silencing her with a soft, gentle kiss that nearly made her choke on a sob.

"You need not silence your own feelings in favor of mine all the time. Go rest, and trust me to keep you safe. I promise, everything will be fine in the end. Just trust me."

He was desperate for her to believe him, that much she could tell, and though it broke something in her, she did the opposite of what he asked, pushed down her feelings, and found enough strength to smile for him.

"Alright. I will. Thank you."

He brightened a little, pleased to know she trusted him, had confidence in him. He looked like a child being given a toy he'd always longed for, and that one glimpse into the current state of his heart was enough to drown her.

Her soul cried out for him.

———————

"Hello little queen."

Her blood chilled, disgust roiling through her, but she tamped it down. Now was not the time to bandy over titles and formality.

"Heimdall... I've come for... I need..."

"Advice, your majesty?"

She released a gasping sigh and nodded her head, tears trailing down her face.

"Yes. Yes exactly. You know so many things, _see_ so many things... Heimdall what am I supposed to do? I can't figure out what I'm supposed to do?"

Heimdall blinked, staring deeply into her drenched eyes, at war with himself. There were things happening now, things she was deeply woven into, threads she would be required to follow for things to come out as they were supposed to. But she had endeared herself to him over her life here, and seeing her so desperate made him want to reveal more than he ought to. He really wouldn't mind serving her as his queen, if only the circumstances were different.

"You know I cannot-"

"You don't have to tell me the whole future, that's not why I'm here. But Loki... there's something _wrong_, Heimdall. His... his aura is all over the place, it grows darker and more broken by the hour. He's having a mental break and I don't know how to help him! There's been too much... _way_ too much and he won't let it settle, he won't talk to me, he's too desperate to prove himself! Tell me how to help him!"

Kagome may be the only person on all of Asgard who could see things he couldn't. Her ability to see the condition of a person's soul was a unique thing he'd never encountered before, so it was highly probable that her assessment was correct. But there were things that needed to happen, things he couldn't interfere with. His heart constricted, but he pushed on with what was necessary, with a little extra warning thrown in. He needed her to leave, Loki would return soon from his trip to Jotunheim.

"The path of destiny has been paved, little Queen, and your fated journey upon it is narrow and wrought with hardship. You must tread carefully, for the fate of worlds is on your shoulders."

Her eyes widened in abject horror, and she stepped back from him, stumbling a little as tears filled her eyes again. She didn't want to save worlds, she just wanted to save Loki. She turned and ran, disappearing back up the bifrost with her hopes in tattered scraps.

———————————


	43. Chapter42

_A.N.: if any of my readers are out protesting, please be safe as possible! _

_Content warning: this chapter contains character death/suicide. Only a retelling of what is already portrayed in the Thor movie, nothing graphic or overly descriptive, but better safe than sorry! _

**The events in this chapter are synced with the movie Thor**

.

He knew it. He knew they were up to something traitorous. Their loyalty to Thor held steadfast despite all the danger he'd put them in, and apparently their loyalty to _him_ had been thin and fragile. They were _all_ supposed to have been friends. They had _all_ fought together, grown together...

Apparently he hadn't inspired the same levels of love and loyalty that his damnable brother had, and he distantly wondered why.

He'd they known as well? Had he been the _only_ simpleton not let in on the nifty little secret of his true heritage? Had _all_ of Asgard been laughing at him his whole life?

Well, after his next little stunt he'd certainly earn their affection and loyalty for life.

Who could resist the savior of Asgard's most beloved king? Even his little wife would have no reason to doubt him any longer.

A niggling little voice in the back of his head tried to remind him that she'd never doubted him, but he silenced it again. It was pointless. Obviously he wasn't very remarkable if no one had thought him worthy of devotion so far, why should she be any different?

He led the King of the Frost Giants further into the palace, absently feeling relieved that he'd sent Kagome to their rooms to rest. Even if his feelings about her trust in him were as shaky as everything else right now, he wanted her safe and out of the way.

————————————

She could hear her heart racing in her ears, like a bird caught in her skull, beating its wings frantically to escape. The resulting sound of blood rushing loudly through her body drowned out everything else, and Kagome dug her nails deep into her palms, anchoring herself with the sharp pain.

Things had reached a fever pitch and she could feel it. She was out of time. She wasn't sure how she knew, but she did, and she swallowed down the urge to vomit. She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath, drawing in air until her chest could hold no more, and then she held it until her lungs burned. She released it in a slow trickle through her nose and let every single scrap of information she knew coalesce into something she could work with. Standing to pace, the pieces in her mind attempted to click together into some sort of workable puzzle.

As her mind worked and her stress mounted, her reiki responded, skittering along her skin in a tickling caress. It was want to do that now since she'd married Loki and had been granted a certain amount of divinity. She had already mastered it beyond any level any miko had reached before, her Demi-goddess status, loath as she was to accept it, had pushed her even further, and she'd found herself capable of things she hadn't even imagined possible even with Frigga's training.

A spare, throwaway memory floated up from the recesses of her mind and played out behind her closed eyelids. She was preparing to write a letter to Dalla in the library. Her beloved friend and maid had retired some years before, now pregnant with her second child. She'd moved out of the palace and into a smaller home with her husband to raise their children, but she and Kagome wrote letters in between what friendly visits they could manage. This time, in all her historic clumsiness, she'd managed to slice her palm with the letter opener she used to open Dalla's letter. She'd gasped at the pain and the blood quickly welling in her palm, but then her reiki had ignited, glowed around the wound, and sealed her skin shut. She'd shrugged and determined to explore this new development later, _after_ she'd read and responded to her letter, now she felt foolish for pushing something so momentous aside.

And that's when the light clicked on. If her reiki was healing, then maybe... maybe _she_ could be the one to truly help Loki.

She hurried to one of the dressers, opening the third drawer and fishing around for the small dagger she knew was kept there. She unsheathed it and swiftly ran it across her palm. She stared intently at the fresh wound, pleased when her powers swelled enough to work at healing her shallow cut, and then cursed that she hadn't used the time since first discovering this new ability to train and master it like the rest of her miko ability.

Another light clicked on.

She wasn't a miko anymore.

She was a goddess, sort of.

But more than that... she was the jewel.

She could- and would- force this power to bend to her will. And she _would_ save Loki.

Heimdalls's words returned, his warning that things that were meant to happen would happen, and that she had to let them, so she could later be useful in what sounded like another war.

How her destiny was sealed.

A huge swell of power grew somewhere behind her and she turned rapidly, running to her window that overlooked the bifrost.

What she found froze her solid. Her alarm clock had just sounded- and her time had run out.

The gate at the end of the bifrost was on and left open, pouring out a dangerous amount of power, and two auras she knew better than anyone else's crashed together in a bitter battle.

Loki... and Thor.

Very, very briefly she felt a flicker of relief that Thor had returned, but then the bleak, ragged state of Loki's aura choked her with horror.

She suspected she knew what destiny wanted her to allow, but allow it she would not.

She turned from her window and ran out her door and down the hall, looking for stairs or any way to get down to the lower levels of the palace, and out onto the bifrost.

Destiny could fuck itself, she was keeping her husband.

————————————

Loki stared with mounting confusion as Thor beat relentlessly against the glittering surface of the rainbow bridge with his hammer, cracks splintering out from the point of contact. His mind raced and swirled, desperate to make sense of this, to fit it into his plans, to understand what this meant for him and his quest to shine for once in his life.

If Thor had finally turned a new leaf, this would spell disaster.

"What are you doing? If you destroy the bridge you'll never see her again!"

A cheap ploy to throw Thor's new little lady love in his face, but he couldn't think clearly, couldn't push passed the thick haze that had grown inside him. Things had spiraled so far out of control, he almost couldn't see his original intent anymore. Without really thinking, acting on the basest of instincts, he dashed forward, raising his spear and leaping up, aiming at his brother's back, ready to strike, desperate to stop him.

A blinding explosion grabbed him up and stole his breath as Mjølnir finally succeeded in cracking through the bifrost's surface, causing a backlash of power to rip through them. A cacophony of sound and color muted his thoughts and deafened his ears, and he was left powerless to do anything but let his body fall where it would, hoping uselessly for solid ground.

When had he last felt solid?

—————————

Kagome's side ached and her lungs felt full of scorching fire as she pumped her leg muscles harder than she ever had, forcing them to carry her down the dizzying length of the bifrost after already running madly through most of the massive height of the palace. A gruesome shockwave of raw, ancient power struck her, pushing her back and igniting a maelstrom of panic.

'_No. No no no. It can't be too late, I can't be too late.'_

When the fire behind her eyelids died she shook her head to clear the ringing in her ears and pushed on, pouring more speed into her steps, shocked she had anymore to utilize.

She was finally close. She could see them now, as more than just glowing dots, and what her eyes could finally make out shattered what was left of her hope, stretching her resolve until it snapped and gave her one last mighty push toward her last, desperate goal.

For the cold, icy, desolate state of her beloved's aura as he dangled helplessly over the angry churn of the bifrost's dissipating power did not bode well.

Not for him.

Not for her.

"Loki! No!"

————————

When he could see and hear and think again, he was dangling on the end of his scepter over the void of space torn through with the swirling energies of the bifrost. His only saving grace was Thor, holding desperately to the other end of the scepter, and his father, holding on to Thor.

Seeing him awake again and keeping both he and his brother from plummeting to certain death had shocked him into a moment of crystalline awareness, something that he only now noticed he'd been lacking since this whole gruesome affair had started.

His heart faltered; he felt like a child as his father's one eyed stare held him captive.

"I could have done it father! I could have done it! For you! For all of us!"

He pleaded again, needing to make him see, needing to feel that ever elusive pride and respect that he'd been chasing since he was a child.

"No, Loki."

All of his thoughts quieted, settling down from their tireless swirling and falling through him like sharp shards of glass. His thundering heart slowed until the beat of it reverberated in his ears once with every deep, steady breath of his lungs. And when it was done, it shattered.

Despair throttled him and tears blurred his vision, Thor called to him as he let his grip on the scepter slip and he began to fall backwards toward the distant rumbling of the bifrost's energies.

His last sound and sight of his home was a shrill, feminine scream, and beautiful face painted with horror as it shouted his name.

'I'm sorry,' he thought numbly as he felt himself slip into the comfort of nothingness, hoping with the last shards of his heart that things would be better now.

———————-

She stared endlessly at the spot she'd watched Loki's falling body disappear, and time slowed to an aching crawl. She could feel herself moving, but it was slow, forced, like she was pushing through a gelatin mold to get back to the fresh air. A thick fuzz of shock and awe has curled in her ears and her lungs began to burn, squeezing out every last molecule of air and desperate for more.

But she couldn't breath.

She began to careen forward into that same starry blackness that had stolen her heart away, but a pair of strong arms locked around her, jolting her enough to clear away some of the agony, and she heard a piercing, startling cry.

She was screaming.

A feral, guttural sound that threatened to crack the rest of the rainbow bridge right out from under them.

She should probably stop.

But how could she? How could she ever stop? She'd just watched... she'd just seen...

She would never stop screaming.

"Kagome. Kagome listen to me, I'm so sorry, I tried to stop him."

Still she screamed, heedless of the words trying to soothe her, get through to her, calm her down.

She didn't want to calm down.

With a blast of reiki she pushed him away and scrambled to the edge of the bridge, ready to throw herself over it, intent on saving him and bringing him back.

Or just joining him.

But those arms clamped around her waist and yanked her away. She hissed, scratching and scrabbling, frantic to get away, to get away from this new enemy, to get back to-

"Loki! I have to- LET ME GO!"

"No! He would not want this. You must stop!"

"No, please! You have to let me go! I have to save him! SAVE HIM!"

In a desperate bid to stop her from hurling herself to her own death, thor wrapped his whole body around hers, crushing her to him, squeezing his eyes shut against her surprisingly strong attempts to get away.

But she would NOT get away.

He'd just lost his brother, AND the woman he loved. He would NOT lose his sister... his best friend.

"No! I won't lose you too!"

"Please!" She sobbed, breaking apart in his arms, smaller and weaker than he'd ever seen her. His own tears came and trailed through her hair, her fists beating weakly against his shoulders. Her words were broken as she pleaded with him, begged for his brother, begged for her own end, but he held her fast, and soon she stilled, falling unconscious, slumping bonelessly into him. He broke down, knowing his father was there, not caring in the slightest. Sobs wracked his body now, the hurts and losses of this day speeding up and ambushing him all at once. After several moments, he stood, cradling the exhausted body of the sister of his heart and carrying her slowly back inside, far away from the place that had destroyed both their hearts.


	44. Chapter43

_A.N.: hey guys, just wanted to let y'all know that guest reviews (the type of review you leave if you are not logged into an FFN account) are NOT showing up in my moderation box. Instead, they are showing up on the review page several days after they are submitted. SO, if you leave a guest review and it doesn't show up right away, please now that I HAVE read them, they are sent to my email, and that they will show up on the review page in a few days time!_

A burning, searing sensation split through his mind, illuminating the previously black depths of it and yanking him back into consciousness. His eyes slit open, but he couldn't make out any of his surroundings. He attempts to sit up and grasp his pounding head, but his arms are bound behind his back, leaving him helpless to lay against the cold floor.

Wasn't he... wasn't he dead?

He'd died.

He'd... tried to die.

His last memory flitted to the forefront, demanding to be seen.

A woman, desperate and screaming.

For him.

'_Kagome_...'

Something sharp, gleaming, glowing treacherously entered his field of vision and he instinctively flinched away from it. A dark chuckle filled the room and he glanced up as best he could into the face of a creature he'd never seen.

"Hello Loki, little prince of Asgard."

The voice was soothing enough, a calm greeting that belied the obvious danger of the scepter the being held.

Loki said nothing, simply staring at his captor, hoping his mind would clear enough soon that he could attempt to get out of wherever this place was.

The being grinned, a cruel, dark parody of kindness stretching his purple skin, and his eyes glinted maliciously.

"I have saved you from death, princeling, and as thanks for my benevolence, I have need of your... particular talents."

The scepter touched his forehead, reigniting that terrible fire that ripped through his mind, intruded in his thoughts, rifled through his memories..

Somewhere in all the magnitudes of space and time, Loki screamed.

———————

Kagome counted the stars.

Zillions of them winked and sparkled like diamonds across a swathe of black velvet. She gave each a number and then each a name, filling all the idle spaces in her brain with them, giving them something to do, something to hold on to.

Something other than-

She began again, this time finding new constellations to name and write stories for, relating them to other Asgardian constellation tales.

The thin sound of distant music drifted up on a night breeze, tickling her ears and breaking her concentration on her distraction, and the evidence of merrymaking made her heart curdle.

A celebration of Thor's return home.

She should have known they'd do such a thing, Asgard _loved_ to party, but it was just so soon after the death of one of their princes, one who'd tried to be their king.

He'd messed up, yes, but his heart had been in it.

His broken heart.

She closed her eyes and took a deep, steadying breath, forcing her tears back. She was just too tired to cry again.

There had been a very small sort of memorial for Loki, but considering the circumstances Odin had not wanted it to be a usual, larger affair.

Just he, Frigga, Thor and herself.

At the time it had felt peaceful and private. Now it just felt blasphemous.

It had only been a couple days ago, and now they were _partying_.

For the other prince.

Who'd just been banished for attempting genocide.

She rubbed her temples to stave off another migraine, weary of trying to understand why one brother's actions were so easily brushed aside over the other's.

Favortism was all she could come up with and the bitterness of it burned in her stomach like she'd swallowed hot coals.

But it wasn't Thor's fault. Not really. His love for Loki had been as true as her own, even if he was a little blinded to some things.

And he was mourning too, she could tell.

So when he knocked on her door in the middle of his party, his sad, wilted aura brushing against her from the other side, she opened up for him and allowed him to step in with a tray of food.

"I brought you something to eat. I knew you wouldn't come down."

With a ghost of a smile she thanked him, crossing her arms and pulling her robe tighter around herself.

"I'm sorry, I just can't-"

"Please don't apologize. I didn't want to do this so close to... everything. But father insisted."

Her gaze drifted back out her window, her smile growing distant and cold.

'_Of course he did.'_

"When you feel like it, I would like to speak with you about some things I saw. I went to your homeland Kagome! I... have no one else to really share it with."

Her heart faltered and her attention snapped back.

"You... went to Japan?"

His brow furrowed and he focused on the ceiling, trying to remember the name of the place he'd crash-landed.

"New... Mexico?"

She giggled a little, and his face brightened at the sound, meager as it was.

"Thor that's in America. Half a world away from where I was born. But... I would like to hear of it. I really would."

He smiled fondly, opening his arms. She rushed into them, letting him squeeze the life out of her. She hiccuped a little sob and he kissed her head before pushing her back by her shoulders and staring her intently in the eyes.

"We will get through this, sister of mine, you will see. Together, we will get through it. You are not alone here, don't forget that."

Tears swam in her vision, and she _felt_ alone, but she nodded and mustered up something close to a little grin.

He stepped back through her door, and pulled it closed, poking his head back in at the last second.

"Eat."

She rolled her eyes and waved him off, and when the door clicked closed, she approached the table he'd left the tray in.

She would eat.

Later.

She hopped up into her bed and wrapped herself up in the sheets, burying her face in the pillows.

They still smelled like him.

She willed the tears away again, refusing to wash the scent of him away quicker, and she slipped into sleep to meet him in her dreams.

—————————————-

She wandered the halls a bit aimlessly on her way to meet Thor in the gardens. He was forcing her outside into the warm light of day for fresh air or sunshine or whatever.

She'd rather just stay inside. Loki's scent was fading from their room and the thought of missing any of it made her panicky.

Which is how she knew he was right. She needed to get out.

She just wished it didn't feel like she was trudging through mud, or breathing in oil, that the weight that had settled on her chest was a little bit lighter.

She could hear the whispers sometimes, when she strayed too close to other living beings, whispers wondering if she would follow in her husband's dark footsteps. Or if she'd been under his spell the whole time, as if Loki had been some evil sorcerer lying in wait for a moment to strike.

What kind of moron waited a whole millennia to strike in _one_ kingdom? He'd had plenty of opportunities to overthrow everything if that's what he'd wanted, he was a _prince_ for goodness sake. Not some old angry wizard living in a cave and trying to sneak in.

One hapless fool had even approached her to to tell her to her face that they were glad she was free from his grasp.

She couldn't remember exactly what she'd said to him but it had been the last time someone had tried that with her.

Word traveled fast in a palace of idiots, apparently.

She sighed as she finally stepped out into the garden, shielding her eyes from the bright, sizzling summer light.

Thor sat close by at a table in the shade and she hurried over, ready to relieve her eyes.

"Thank you for coming Kagome."

"You told me you'd drag me out in my bathrobe if I didn't come willingly so. Didn't really have a choice."

He smiled shamelessly, happy to see her with brushed hair and in real clothes for once.

"Sit sit, I have all your favorites."

She took stock of the table and noticed he'd spoken true, he _had_ got all of her favorites.

Her chin wobbled and she fell into the chair, wiping her tears.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, this is just very sweet and I've been so awful and-"

His hand grabbed hers, silencing her rambling. Tears shimmered in his own eyes, and she sniffed and shrugged, giggling a watery, helpless giggle.

"Alright. I get it. Sad together, happy together. Now let's eat."

He watched her closely while she picked at this and that, attempting to stretch her appetite around her grief and it made him proud of her strength.

She'd laugh at him for thinking this way, but she was winning a mighty battle of the heart.

He noticed her toying with something in her neckline, something that caught the light and glinted here and there, and it piqued his curiosity.

"What have you got?"

Her hand stilled and her eyes widened, filling with haunted shadows and reluctance, but she pulled out a necklace, a long chain with an ornately carved pendant, a faceted jewel the color of her eyes nestled in the center.

"It's um... it's a locket Loki had made for me... after we got married."

She opened it and out shimmered a suspended image of she and Loki dressed in the wedding finery of her home country, a perfect, smaller replica of their wedding portrait. It blurred and cleared into their other portrait, the one made in their traditional Asgardian wedding clothes.

Thor marveled at the pure peace and happiness on their faces, and he regretted that it had all been ripped away.

"I want one."

Her head tilted and her brow cocked in confusion.

"Huh? You want a locket with my wedding portrait in it?"

"Yes." He gestured to Loki's serene smile and shrugged. "It's how I want to remember him."

She searched his eyes for several moments and nodded.

"Okay. I'll talk to the artist who made it. It'll be a gift...from me. _N__ow, enough of the sad stuff, tell me about earth!"_

She listened raptly, soaking in bits of a place she thought to never have a connection with again, remembering technologies that had once been commonplace in her life.

And some that weren't. It would seem the present day on earth was many years past the present she'd been born in, and things had advanced past what she remembered.

How odd. She'd never imagined earth marching on without her, though she knew that it would, but it momentarily awakened ancient, crumbling feelings of wistfulness in her.

And then Thor dropped the bomb.

"I... met someone there."

She blinked and stared, letting his words settle and make sense.

"Like... romantically?"

Shockingly his cheeks warmed.

"Yes, I care for her very much. Her name is Jane."

"A _human_ woman?"

He chuckled a little uncomfortably and scratched at the back of his neck.

"Yes. Is that so unbelievable?"

She shook her head rapidly to clear the shock and waved her hands.

"No! No it's not. Um... well, tell me how you met her. Tell me all about her!"

"She hit me with her van."

She burst out laughing. It was absurd, so so absurd she forgot her grief for a moment.

Thor grinned. He knew she'd have a hard time resisting _that_ detail.

She listened to him talk about his blossoming feelings for a woman a million light years away, selfless in her happiness for him despite her anguish for her own lost love, and Thor marveled at the size of her heart. He felt terrible bringing up his own sadness next to hers, but he also felt safe. His sister always had room for more love and compassion than anyone else.

"But I shall never see her again."

"What? Why?"

"I destroyed the bifrost, remember? And I have much to do to prove myself again."

She snorted and rolled her eyes, picking up another pastry and ripping tiny bites from it.

"Oh please. They're fixing the bifrost right now. If you really care for her Thor, don't give up on her so easily. Humans... they don't live very long, I'm a unique exception. Don't... don't waste more time than you need to."

That was a sobering thought he hadn't spent enough time considering, but for now he steered the conversation back to lighter things, determined that they would enjoy a time away from grief for a while.

And Kagome was glad for it. The time she had left before her seemed a bleak, empty wasteland to hobble through. But with moments like this... she might be able to hobble on anyway.

And she did. For quite some time she did, as the wounds in her heart slowly, painfully stitched together.


	45. Chapter44

_A.N.: most of Thor: Dark World is said to take place two years after Thor, one year after Avengers, so there will be two small time skips in this chapter totaling 1.5 years time, and the next chapter will complete the two year time span. _

**The events in this chapter are synced with events in the movies The Avengers and Thor: Dark World**

_One year later: _

Loki sat carefully on the step behind the wrecked, broken floor he'd just peeled himself out of. The Hulk's ragdoll treatment of him had shattered something in his skull and he was thinking and seeing with a sudden clarity that startled him. He could _feel_ that wretched scepter somewhere near. The distant, hissing taunts and probing fingers of the power inside it sent a shiver up his spine. He wanted to stay far, far away from that thing and the unbreakable hold it was able to take of him.

He didn't know how long it had been since he'd woken up in that dark ship, laying at Thanos's boots, waiting unknowingly for his torture to begin, but he'd been in a thick fog until just about now.

It wasn't really a defense, not that he felt he wanted or needed one. He'd been aware, he'd made the choices, he'd done all of it consciously... but it was as if he'd been behind a cloud of smoke. He'd been trying to get out, but there were only specific, narrow places to move and step through, and each one led to another disaster that he'd helped plan.

Or rather, that his mind had helped plan.

He remembered vividly the feel of that scepter's magic sifting through his brain, finding which memories to exploit, discovering which skills to manipulate. He'd been both a puppet and a quasi-willing participant to its schemes and the way Thanos wielded it's power for his own ends.

Oh, the things that the death monger had promised him for his compliance. The irresistible "deal" he'd made.

If he'd only serve him, he'd have a kingdom to rule!

Except there had been no actual dealings, there had been torture and a sort of mind control. And he knew Thanos had no intention of letting him just have anything.

Not freedom.

Not Earth.

Not that he wanted earth. For the tesseract? He'd rather have _that_.

'_Who would want this place? What a piece of shit.'_ He thought glumly, blood dripping from a gash in his hairline.

He wanted to roll his eyes when he looked up and saw those "Avengers" poised and ready to strike, weapons drawn and pointed right in his face.

He was just _sitting_ there. He'd been practically shattered just moments before.

Their drama was not appreciated.

"If it's all the same to you, I'll have that drink now."

—————

He was not given a drink.

'_Hospitality on earth is severely lacking.' _He thought as Thor cuffed and gagged him, rendering him unable to speak.

Which was fine. He didn't have anything to say anyway.

He did had a lot of questions, but he didn't think Thor was in the mood to answer them right now.

He walked behind his brother with his eyes forward, ignoring the chattering of the gathered crowds come to watch one of the heroes of the Earth march the big evil villain away. The tesseract thrummed nearby, and the 'Avengers' followed them to whatever random place Thor thought would be best to blast back Asgard. He ignored them too, mostly. And then Thor offered him one of the handles on the container around the tesseract, they twisted it together, and away they went.

In no time they were on the shores of home, and he was being tugged along toward the holding cells of Odin's dungeons, awaiting his trail. He glanced up toward the looming palace and felt a small seed of nervousness take root. There was only one soul in that whole wretched place he was concerned about seeing, okay, maybe two, and he had no idea where in there she was.

Or what she would say to him.

—————————-

_6 months later_

He had genuinely thought they had forgotten all about him when he was finally summoned to receive Odin's judgement. It had been months with only guards sent to deliver his meager rations as company and he thought he might go mad at the blank monotony that his life had become. He was given the luxury of a quick bath, but only a _very_ quick one, lest he think he's being shown any favor. His hair is still dripping when he's tugged in by chains to stand before his 'father' and receive his sentence.

His mother is there, and the shame and sadness in her eyes almost gets to him.

But he won't let it.

"Hello mother. Have I made you _proud_?"

"Please don't make this worse."

Odin cut into him with several barbs, probably hoping to take him down a peg, embarrass him, put him in his place, but standing there in heavy chains fresh from a failed suicide attempt and failed campaign to take over earth, mind control issues not withstanding, and a mind numbingly lonely imprisonment, Loki just felt... tired.

"If I am for the ax, for mercy's sake just swing-"

"Loki!" A voice he hadn't heard in far, far too long caressed his ears and stopped him cold. He turned, and his heart threatened to break again.

——————-

Time had certainly marched on, though at one point Kagome had been uncertain that it would. Grief was still so heavy, but it felt a little easier to walk with it now, breathe around it, shoulder it while she tried to limp on and keep living. She hadn't left the palace almost at all, though she'd taken to spending time with Heimdall in the bifrost gate. He was steady and constant and it was soothing to just sit there far away from everyone and read for a while. Heimdall didn't say much and demanded nothing from her. It was peaceful.

Then there was Thor. Their garden lunches had become a regular thing, as well. Something she actually looked forward too, as he was kind of the only person she'd remained close with. She felt a little guilty, but she knew herself. She'd give everything she had that wasn't being sucked up by grief and then she'd have nothing left to heal herself with. So she'd reduced her circle to Thor and Heimdall.

It was going well!

She was having another garden lunch, enjoying the warm air and soft scents of freshly blooming flowers, but Thor seemed distracted, picking at his food and looking around, half heartedly chuckling at what few things she said. He probably wished he was fighting with Sif and the warriors, but his father had made him stay behind. A tendril of guilt curled around him, one that had been almost constant lately, but it seemed thicker today, stronger. But she wrote it off. He had many things he felt guilty for and was often distracted, he probably just felt extra bad he wasn't paying attention to her.

"Are you still pouting that your dad wouldn't let-"

Something very distant, very familiar, and _very_ unexpected brushed against her, stealing her voice, her breath, even her sanity for a moment before she shook her head and concentrated.

Thor perked up at her frown, zoning back in in a way she may have found suspicious if she was paying any attention.

"Kagome, What-"

"_SHH_!" She waved him to silence, and for a moment his sudden anxiety was all she could feel. She pushed passed it and reached out with her senses, looking for that wisp of unbelievable hope once more.

At last she found it.

"Wait... no... how?"

"Kagome, please. Why don't we go-"

"_Loki_..."

She stood abruptly, mind so focused on getting to him she lost all track of everything else. She startled violently at the feel of Thor's fingers wrapping tightly around her wrist, and though she could read agony in his face, there was also determination.

"What are you doing? Let me go."

"Kagome... I-"

With a stern frown and a strong plume of reiki, she pushed him back and took off, running hard in the direction of the throne room. Thor caught up quickly, but she kept him off with nudges of power and sparkly reiki shields. Stronger and faster he may be, but much of her ability had been honed in evading and subduing and she would not be overpowered.

Not in this.

What guards and servants that didn't leap away at the sight of her fierce scowl she pushed away with her aura as well, giving her a clear path to race down.

The closer she got, the more sure she was that she wasn't going crazy.

She could feel him.

He was here.

He was... _alive_.

"Loki!" She flung herself at the door, erecting a strong barrier to help her push it open. Panting, heart thundering, gaze frantic, she drank in the sight of him standing there, vibrant, alive and healthy, and something twisted hard and painful inside of her before snapping.

The next breath she took felt like the first she'd been able to take since watching him fall from the bifrost.

"Loki..." she breathed, tears falling from her eyes, disbelief, wonder and relief aching in her soul. She ran to him and threw her arms around his neck, felt the breath in his lungs and the beat in his heart. "You're alive... you're.. in chains? What?"

Thor stumbled in then, and Odin leveled him a hard stare.

"I thought I told you to keep the girl busy."

"I'm sorry father, I tried. But she is-"

"Wait..."

She turned slowly, meeting Thor's pained gaze, betrayal blooming and spreading through her heart.

"You were... you were keeping me from him? You knew he was alive... and you didn't tell me?"

"Kagome, it's not that-"

"You _knew_ he was _alive_ and you _didn't fucking tell me_?" She backed away, widening the gap between her and Thor, but growing closer to Loki, the solid feeling of his life at her back bolstering her.

"You didn't tell her I was here?" His voice, smooth and languid and _so_ missed slid down her ears and her head spun with joy and rage.

"You've watched me mourn him nearly two years... and you were just going to keep this from me?" She spun toward Odin and glared, uncaring about Royal respect in her blazing anger.

"Why is he in chains? Let him go."

"He is in chains because he is a prisoner. He is going to the dungeons. And you will never see him again."

"You can't do that! He's my hus-"

"He is _nothing_ to you anymore girl. I _can_ do it, because I am your king, and you will-"

"I am _not_ Asgardian, and you are _not_ my-"

"That's enough."

His voice was barely above a whisper, a vocal caress just like the way he used to speak to her in the privacy of their rooms, and she was helpless to do anything but heed its call.

His eyes pled silently with hers, the guilt in his aura begged forgiveness. No matter what they'd done to her with this betrayal, he wouldn't let her jeopardize the safety she had as a citizen here, and he had no idea what his father would do if she renounced him as her king.

"I accept my punishment." He spoke to Odin without looking away from her, and she counted all the tiny secrets that sparked to life in the emerald depths of eyes she'd never dared hope to look into again.

She gave a tiny nod. She would come to him. One way or another.

"Guards, take him away. Thor, remove her."

She jerked away with a hateful glare, feeling no remorse for the hurt on his face.

"Don't touch me. I'll remove my damn self."

Thor watched her stride away with a wilting heart. He had so much to explain to her, but she was stubborn on a good day and her temper always made everything worse. He would corner her later.

In the mean time, he needed to hit something, and as Sif and the warriors had not returned, he knew exactly where to go to blow off steam.


	46. Chapter45

**The events in this chapter are synced with events in the movie Thor: Dark world**

_6 months later..._

His ship, large, looming, imposing, drifted through the space between the stars, on the prowl, on the hunt. His mission was a holy one, no matter how much blood had to be spilled to see its fruition. Even more would be necessary to buy the salvation of this universe he haunted.

His current objective was finding the necessary tools to make his task easier; small, shiny bits of power that seemed innocuous at first glance, but would make him a god untouchable by all.

A god of death.

A god of justice.

A god of... _balance_.

Stones, they were called, the Infinity Stones, and they'd been scattered across the cosmos protected or hidden or lost.

But he would find them.

And now, thanks to a convenient little "ally" who's mind he'd found most advantage to search through, he had a promising lead on one of these stones.

Though this one did not call itself that.

It called itself... a jewel.

A Jewel of Souls.

Perhaps the universe was smiling on him, and the Soul Stone would be his at last.

———————

Another damn party. Another celebration of victory she was skipping entirely. Instead, Kagome curled up in her usual spot in the bifrost gate with a cushion under her legs and a blanket drawn up over her head. A book lay open in her lap and her eyes roved over the page, but she didn't really see or take in any of the words. She felt too tired, too wilted... too angry.

She couldn't believe the one being on this rock that was supposed to be her biggest ally, her best friend, her _brother_ would agree to leave her in the dark over not only Loki's life, but his return to Asgard.

_'As if I wouldn't figure it out. Seems I'm still being underestimated.'_

She huffed out a sigh and Heimdall chuckled a deep, husky chuckle. His amusement pricked at her volatile temper, and she jumped a little faster than she liked for a new target to turn it toward.

"_What_ is so funny?"

"You are angry at our prince for his willingness to keep secrets, yet, you still gift me with the privilege of your company despite _also_ keeping secrets. I knew what he knew. I also did not tell you. You have no ire for me. The whims of your will are perplexing even for one who can see so much."

She snorted and flipped back a few pages in her book, needing to backtrack and reread. Her distraction was deep today.

"Yeah well, you know _everything_ and say almost nothing. It's just part of your job. I can't blame you for that."

"Hm." He contemplated for a moment, staring out over the vastness of the night over the land he protected with his every breath.

"Is it not the 'job' of an heir to keep his father's council?"

"Is a husband not also the council of his wife?"

"Duty has been previously skirted and trust is still tenuous. You would advise him to subvert his role again so soon?"

Kagome hesitated for a moment, remembering the guilt and agony that Thor unmistakably felt when she'd found out about his betrayal. He'd felt awful about it, and Heimdall had a point, she would grudgingly admit. He _was_ still in a bit of hot water after the frost giant thing and his banishment.

But she wasn't done being angry. Discovering Loki was alive had burst that deep, unending well of grief inside her and drained it so fast it was dizzying. And then it had abruptly filled with rage so consuming to know her so called family would keep her ignorantly suspended in that grief. While she had managed to float up through the waters of loss and sadness some over the last two years of Loki's absence, she'd been roughly plunged right back to bottom again, and anger burned much hotter than grief. Swimming back up again seemed futile and exhausting.

She cut a look toward Heimdall, and she knew he could see despite having his back turned. He could see everything, after all.

"Are you meddling Heimdall? That's not really fair, you know. You know too much to meddle impartially."

"Meddling is never impartial." He sighed and the sound of it was so ancient and sad Kagome's heart constricted. "I know too intimately all the times of strife ahead. I like to inspire some peace in the interim."

She rolled her eyes and readjusted her blanket.

"Heimdall: sees all. Keeps the gate. Meddles, but only in peace."

He chuckled again and Kagome would bet his eyes were shining. It was better than that awful, lonely sound he'd made before.

"A nice revision of my job description little queen."

"Ugh, are you ever going to stop calling me that? I was queen for like five minutes."

"Once a queen of Asgard, always a queen of Asgard."

She couldn't help her laughter. Being connected to the nine realms meant Heimdall knew pop culture. It was something that never failed to tickle her, hearing such a powerful, somber man reference something popular or silly from her home planet. No one else understood them, so she knew he did it just to cheer her up.

"Asgard is _not_ Narnia."

"Nevertheless, I am here to serve you."

"Thanks for always trying to make me feel better. There are many who wouldn't believe this, but you're a very thoughtful friend, Heimdall. Can I... can I have just one secret?"

He took a moment to consider all the ramifications, knowing exactly which question she would ask already, but there was always an opportunity to teach someone to look deeper into their own thoughts and motives.

"That would depend on which secret you would like."

There were a _lot_ of secrets she would like, truth be told, but she wouldn't be greedy, and she would _not_ take advantage of Heimdall's gifts or his kindness.

"Did he... did he at least _want_ to tell me?"

"I could answer your question... or he could. He comes."

Sure enough, if she reached out far enough, she could feel Thor's presence coming down the bifrost.

'_He's leaving his party? He's still sad. He's going through a lot, too...__ Maybe I'm being selfish?' Guilt gnawed around the edges of her conscience but she ignored it resolutely. This was still so fresh, there was no harm in holding on to her sour feelings just a little bit longer._

Thor paused and eyed her nervously when he entered the bifrost gate, and she clutched her blanket more snuggly around her shoulders, tears already stinging hotly in her eyes.

"Kagome, I-"

She turned her back to him abruptly, shutting him out and ignoring him.

"Alright. If you won't talk, at least listen. I _wanted_ to tell you we'd found him. Under any other circumstances I would have. But I'm in no position to go against my father right now, my trustworthiness is tenuous at best. Believe me, leaving you in that state of grief... I never wanted that for you. I wanted so badly to tell you the one thing I knew would banish it from you. I am... I am _sorry_, and I only hope that you'll know my sincerity and forgive me. That you will not hate me forever."

Her tears fell then, tears of resentment and hurt scorching down her cheeks, burning like acid, and she knew. She _would_ forgive him. She was too damn forgiving.

She sighed, closed her eyes, and hugged her arms around herself.

"I could never hate you. And I will forgive you just... not now. Not yet."

If she cared to look, he would have glowed with relief, but she ducked her head and walked past him. Feeling his relief was enough, and she didn't care for it yet.

"Little queen."

She stopped and turned back, meeting Heimdall's endless eyes as he stared so intently into her, silently pleading with her to _listen_. She could feel his urgency and her brow furrowed in confusion.

"Yes Heimdall?"

"It's dangerous to go alone."

More pop culture, but this time his intent wasn't to cheer her up, but to get her attention.

'_What is he saying_?'

She searched his face, tired of secrets and puzzled and riddles, but nodded with a small smile anyway.

Before she'd made it all they way back up the bifrost, the gate activated and opened, and Thor was gone.

———————

Another crop of new prisoners paraded in, some ugly things, probably from somewhere just as ugly. They were crowded into a cell all together, left to mill around and try not to bump into each other. He glanced around his own cell. Situated on a corner, it was a bit bigger then the others, and he'd been provided some things for comfort. And most importantly, he was _alone_. No sharing for the disgraced prince of Asgard.

It was... something, if not a comfort.

"The books I sent, do they not interest you?"

'_Mother_?'

The image of her stood regal and lovely in his little cell, and he longed to go to her, but his pride kept him away.

"Is that how I am to while away eternity? Reading?"

"I've done everything in my power to make you comfortable, Loki."

"Have you? Does _Odin_ share your concern? Does Thor? It must be _so_ inconvenient, them asking after me day and night."

Cheap shots, childish taunts, apparently he wasn't done lashing out. It disgusted him to still be so affected by it all.

"You know full well it was your actions that brought you here."

"_My_ actions." He stared off as memory of the tearing, searing pain of that scepter ripping through his mind came back. He shuddered and stared down at his feet, his boots black against the pure white floor.

Pure...

His father and brother may not care about his wellbeing down here, but there was someone...

"And Kagome?"

His mother sighed and his heart stilled for a moment. It _was_ possible even she didn't care anymore. No doubt she'd learned of his most recent actions since discovering he was still alive, she would probably be-

"She has not inquired after your well being, but then, she will not speak to any of us. She was very hurt by what she saw as our betrayal."

He felt foolish for ever doubting her, and a tiny bit of warmth curled through him that he still had someone's caring.

"Was it not betrayal? Did she have no right to know of my survival?"

"You know your father always has a purpose for what he-"

"Yes yes, a _purpose_. Always has a purpose. But what purpose other than cruelty could there be to keep her shrouded in grief?"

"Your father thought it best-"

"He is _not_ my father! And it is _not_ best to keep us apart!"

She stared into his soul, reading him in ways only she as his mother could.

"And am I not your mother."

Old hurt flared up again and made him defiant, belligerent. Would he ever be done lashing out?

"You are not."

"Always so perceptive about everyone but yourself."

She held out her hands to him, and immediately he felt guilty. He reached out for her, but he passed right through her. He watched her shimmer away, and went back to being alone.


	47. Chapter46

**The events in this chapter are synced with events in the movie Thor: Dark World**

Kagome was uncomfortable, and her discomfort multiplied by the second as she watched Thor approach her with a pretty woman who held no divinity in her aura at all.

In fact, she possessed an aura she'd never thought she'd ever feel again.

A _human_ aura, though there was something else lurking below the surface.

'_Fuck. He brought his human girlfriend here?!'_

She stood rooted to her spot, trying not to scowl, trying to appear neutral, but she didn't want to make nice with Thor yet.

"Kagome, I would like to introduce you to Jane Foster. Jane, this is my sister, Kagome."

"Hi, it's so nice to meet you."

Kagome eyed her and tried to get a better feel of the darkness she could feel swimming around inside her, but she could tell she was now making _Jane_ uncomfortable with her silence.

"Charmed. Thor what's-"

"You know, I didn't understand why you and your brother look so different but now I get it. She has your blue eyes, but Loki's black hair. Now I can tell you're all siblings."

Irritation flared and though she _knew_ it was unfair, and she'd no doubt feel guilty later, she turned a flat, unamused glare on the human woman on Thor's arm.

"Loki is _not_ my brother. Thor what's wrong with her? Why is she oozing darkness?"

"She came in contact with the Aether, I was hoping you might try to get it out? Our healers were unable. Father says it's dangerous to leave it too long."

She focused again, looking past Jane's aura and examining the power intruding in her body. Odin was right, this foreign substance was eating away at her, and if it wasn't removed soon, it would destroy her.

"I can try."

She led them to one of the balconies nearby, one far enough away from the others milling around to feign some privacy. Thor and Jane whispered behind her, and she tried not to let her irritation grow.

"I didn't mean to upset her. Has she disowned your brother?"

"She's not mad at you, she's mad at _me_. Loki is not her brother he's... he's her husband."

"She's your _sister-in-law!_ Oh my god, this is so embarrassing."

"Really, pay it no mind. Like I said, she's angry with _me_ and now I'm asking a favor. She's really very-"

"I can _hear_ you talking about me." They both snapped their mouths closed and continued to follow her to the balcony. Kagome sat with Jane on a stone bench and placed her hand agaisnt her forehead.

"I don't know if this will hurt, I also don't know if this will work, but please know I mean you _no_ harm. Alright?"

After a moment of gathering up her courage, Jane nodded, trust and hope shining in her eyes. Kagome felt a molecule of respect blossom for her, and she closed her eyes and began channeling her reiki into the woman's skin and through her body. The darkness, or Aether or whatever Thor had called it, writhed around inside her, taking her life force for energy, using her body as a shield, and it jerked and shrieked away from Kagome's intruding light. She pushed onward, suffusing the girl with more of her power, wrapping it around the angry red glow of the Aether, attempting to purify it. It held fast, refused to move. Something about it was constant and would not be shaken so easily. She might be able to sway it, but Jane was a _normal_ human woman with no natural power of her own, and she feared that pumping anymore power inside her, especially powers that were so diametrically opposed, would break her body apart faster than just leaving the Aether behind. She could place a barrier around it though, containing it and preventing its spread for a little longer.

She came back to herself and smiled sympathetically at Jane who clutched Thor's hand and panted, sweat trickling down around the pained look on her face.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't remove it without doing considerable damage to her. But I did put a barrier around it. It'll halt its spread, at least for a while longer."

"That is much better than we had at the start. Thank you, sister."

She placed her hand on Jane's shoulder and attempted to make some amends.

"I think we got off on the wrong foot. I'm Kagome. It's very nice to meet you. Welcome to Asgard, I hope you enjoy your stay. Maybe I'll see you around again."

With a brief wave, she hurried away to leave them alone, not wanting to be around them but also knowing they'd want to be alone.

Her heart twisted then, spotting Sif leaning against a pillar some ways away, watching with a wistfulness that seemed at odds with her normal firey strength. She regretted neglecting their friendship these last two years, but they'd had centuries before, so she decided to make up for lost time.

Her friend needed her, her own angst could wait.

She caught her eye and held her gaze, approaching with a sympathetic smile.

"Hey Sif. You doin' alright?"

The proud warrior straightened her spine and firmed her resolve, and Kagome felt like she was looking into the past.

"Of course. My duty is always to serve him."

With a sigh, Kagome grabbed Sif's hand and led her to a different balcony, one far away from the one Jane and Thor were using.

"I'm so so sorry I've let our friendship stall while I've been... dealing with everything."

She tried to look as contrite as she felt, and though Sif looked a little shocked, ready to let her pride speak again and ensure everything was as it should be, her warrior friend's expression soon melted into relief, and she tugged her forward into a hug.

"I'm sorry I didn't know how to help you."

With laugh-sobs and stray tears they reconnected, and another piece of Kagome's heart grew a little lighter.

"Listen, feel free to tell me to buzz off but... I can tell you're hurting and... I hate it. I know how it feels to love someone who keeps turning to someone else and it's... it's brutal, Sif, there's no other way to say it. We can't help how we feel about anyone, just know I understand you, okay?"

Sif looked away and stared off into the direction Thor and Jane were nuzzling up in the sun shine, melancholy twisting around her and making her eyes shine. Kagome gave her fingers a comforting squeeze.

"I have tried to subtly make my feelings known and he evaded them. He is always kind, of course but, I am still only a fellow warrior. I am content with that."

"Well you are strong, capable, smart, badass, _gorgeous_. And how many dumb men live on this rock? You just gotta go sift through them."

Happily giggling like a couple of high school girls, the pair of them shook off worries and allowed old bonds to restrengthen. Then Sif turned serious again, and Kagome gulped, certain _she_ was about to be on the chopping block.

"Thor says you are angry with him. He told me of the secret he was forced to keep from you. Kagome I'm so sorry. I'm angry with Loki and the choices he's made, but you should never have been left in the dark about his life."

"Thank you." She replied with a choked whisper, validation for her hurt feelings making them sting less. "Odin won't let me see him. I've tried and tried every day since I learned he was back but Odin has guards from here all the way to the dungeons ordered to keep me out specifically."

"He did what?!"

"I just want to see him, that's all. When he fell from the bifrost... he was so... he wasn't himself Sif! That whole awful time, he was breaking and I... I just need to make sure he's okay now."

A rebellious little streak bloomed in Sif's heart at the stress and heartache on her best girlfriend's face. Her position as a warrior in service to the royal family, no matter how friendly they all were, had stayed her tongue from expressing how much it meant to have another female warrior to relate to, one who was free with affection and emotion. If she couldn't _speak_ it, maybe she could show it.

"Come with me, I'll get you inside."

"How? Do you know a secret way in?"

"Secret knowledge and hidden passages are Loki's territory. I have a more straightforward plan."

—————————

"When you said your plan was straightforward I didn't think you meant punching the guards straight in the face." Kagome said wryly, rolling her eyes at Sif's proud smirk.

"It _worked_, so you will not complain. Now, we won't have long before they start waking. Next time we'll bring something to make them sleep longer. But for now you'll have time to say hello."

"Thank you Sif, this means so much to me."

The doors to the dungeons opened, and Kagome stepped inside, following the feel of Loki's aura right up to the force field acting as prison bars. She could easily see through the yellow energies crisscrossing in front of her, working to keep their prisoner contained, and Loki's slumbering visage, peaceful and soft and void of any strain or strife, took her back to happier times when all that lay between them was love.

"Psst, Loki."

His green eyes snapped open and slanted her way, widening when he caught sight of her.

He jumped up from the bed he'd been lying on and hurried over, kneeling, getting as close as possible.

"Kagome?"

Tears ran unchecked down her cheeks, relief rushing so quickly through her it made her head spin.

"Oh Loki... I'm _so glad_ you're alive. Look at you, your hair is longer! _Gods_ I've missed you."

"Shhh, don't cry my darling, not for me. I don't deserve your tears."

"Oh stop it. You don't know what I saw! I didn't just see you fall from the bifrost, I watched you fall apart for days beforehand. You were _sick_. I was so worried. I've _been_ so worried. I wanted to come sooner but Odin has the guards ordered to keep me out. he has so many of them stationed in every direction I could take to come here."

"How did you manage..."

She pointed toward the door, and he followed her gesture to find Sif peeking in. She gave a little wave and his face softened into a small, grateful smile.

"_Thank_ you Sif."

"Of course. I'll be keeping watch, be ready to go at a moment's notice Kagome, I don't know how long the guards will stay unconscious."

She slipped away and Kagome giggled.

"She punched all the guards out to get me here."

"It lacks a certain finesse, but I approve. Kagome... did they tell you why I've been imprisoned?"

"Yes. The last time I willingly spoke to any of them on my own accord, I demanded all the answers they'd kept from me."

"And still you come to me?"

She rolled her eyes and huffed, waving him off, reducing him to shock.

"Oh please. If you know someone who's lived as long as we have and remained a saint through it all, please introduce me, I love meeting mythical creatures."

She'd left him speechless, she could tell, and she once again felt frustrated for all the double standards he'd had to endure throughout his life. Thor got to redeem himself, Loki was now stuck in a jail cell forever.

"There's something... else. Something lingering. I can see it. Have _you_ been keeping secrets Loki?"

A wall went up and she saw it instantly. It raised her hackles, put her on edge. He'd never put a wall between them.

"Everyone has the pertinent information. Nothing else matters. I seek no one's absolution."

"It matters to me. If there's something bothering you, then it matters to me. I'm on _your_ side."

He smiled that sweet, soft smile, full of all of his love and devotion, one that had only ever been for her, and a few more pieces of her heart clicked back into place.

"Kagome, we must go. They are stirring."

With urgency she pressed closer, needing to be near as possible.

"She's going to help me come back. I don't give a damn about your dad and his stupid orders, I'll see you again. And if you think of any hair-brained schemes to bust out of here, you had _better_ take me with you, got it?"

The glitter of mischief sparked back to life in him, brightening his smile, his aura, _him_.

"I wouldn't dream of leaving my lady behind."

One last lingering look, a whispered declaration of love, and then Kagome slipped back through the dungeon entrance, heart lighter than it had been in ages.


	48. Chapter47

**The events in this chapter are synced with events in the movie Thor: Dark World **

'_Today has been so crazy. I need a NAP.'_

The happiness of getting to see with her own eyes that Loki still lived, hear his voice, feel the energy of his soul brush against hers, was dizzying. She floated through the halls with a new sense of peace, alone as Sif had needed to peel away and tend to some other duties, but alone suited her just fine.

Her thoughts clouded a bit as she thought on some of the things she'd seen, the things he'd hinted at, the things she knew he wasn't saying.

She _had_ been filled in on Loki's actions after falling from the bifrost, and she was certainly not pleased to hear of the devastation he'd wrought on Earth, but she'd found several things suspect.

Namely his supposed desire to rule Earth. He'd always said he didn't like Earth very much, so why choose that place out of all the random planets in the universe? Especially as there was very little chance he'd fallen into that void and come out the other side near the right solar system. Who knows how far he'd had to travel to get to _Earth_ of all places. And then there had been the lingering shadows in his aura, ones that were different to the shadows that had haunted him his last days ruling as Asgard's king. They had a different feel all together, like they'd been inflicted from the outside, not the inside, and her instincts wanted to respond, to protect, to eliminate the threat.

And she'd learned to trust her instincts well. If they said there was a threat...

No, she wasn't looking for excuses for him, but she _did_ want the whole story, especially if hidden parts of it had caused harm to someone she loved.

She shook herself from her thoughts, they were darker than she appreciated right now, when she just wanted to cling to the happiness she'd just found. She took a look around and found herself in the portrait hall. It was a place she'd spent quite a bit of time once she'd gotten to a place where she could leave her room, so she wasn't surprised her feet had carried her here. Not only was this a place where she could look at several portraits of Loki and the rest of the family, but it's where a larger version of their wedding portrait hung on display, and while she treasured her little locket the held the same one, it was comforting to see Loki more life-sized, pretend for a minute he was still there, like he might step out of the painting and be there again, like it had all been an illusion.

She was a little shocked to find she was not there alone, it wasn't a super popular corner of the palace, but surprisingly in front of her wedding portrait stood Jane, no Thor in sight, staring intently with a small frown on her face.

She walked up beside her slowly and stared as well, eyes roving over the likeness of their faces, remembering that very moment in time and the happiness and pride she'd felt from her new husband, and how happy and proud it made her to stand next to him. Her melancholy sigh broke Jane's trance.

"This is not how he looked when I saw him on the news."

"This is what he usually looks like. This is our wedding portrait."

She felt Jane's gaze shift, felt her confusion, felt the questions she didn't have the energy to try and answer, so she kept her attention on the portrait, and kept a firm hold on the memories of peace it brought.

"I don't understand. These clothes you're wearing, they don't look like the clothes in all the other portraits, or the ones everyone else is wearing. They almost look like-"

"Like Kimono?"

She finally broke away from the portrait, meeting the confusion swirling in Jane's eyes with a soft, sad smile.

"That's because they are. I'm not from around here."

She gasped as the lightbulb of realization flickered on.

"Oh my god, you're-"

"A human? Yes. At least, I was one when I was born... I think..."

"But if you came here from earth too, why was Odin so pissy about _me_ being here?"

"I came here under _very_ different circumstances a very long time ago. I was a homeless wanderer and Odin would have turned me away if not for Frigga. I've been here, what, almost 500 years? Maybe more? I've lost count."

She could see the wheels in Jane's mind spinning rapidly, attempting to calculate all this new information into something she could stuff into the boxes of knowledge she had in her brain, boxes that didn't quite include Magic and jewels made of people's souls.

"How can you be that old? Humans don't live that long. Does it have something to do with being here?"

The hope in her eyes made Kagome a little sad. She knew what unspoken question she was asking.

'_Could I live here with Thor forever_?'

"No. It's not Asgard. It's a very long story, but my humanity was stripped away before I came here. There aren't a lot of safe ways to extend a human life, I'm afraid, not without a lot of consequences that you don't-"

A distant explosion rumbled below their feet, shaking the floors, windows and walls.

Kagome braced herself against the wall and grabbed Jane's shoulder to stop the girl from tumbling to the ground.

"Wh-What was that."

"I don't know... hold on." Kagome answered, closing her eyes and sending waves of her awareness out to see what she could find. Strange auras with dark intent were making their way up toward them and the rest of the castle. It was a foreign aura, but one she recognized for some reason. Her brow furrowed in concentration as she cast her mind back, flitting through background knowledge, comparing puzzle pieces until two clicked together.

A prisoner.

Stationed near Loki.

She'd _just_ been down there.

She felt no tell tale signatures of Loki's magic, none of his smug excitement to watch a plan unfold, which meant he had nothing to do with this.

She looked back up at Jane with alarm and determination.

"We have to go. Now." She wrapped a firm hand around her wrist and tugged her along as she ran back toward the center courtyard where they'd first spoke earlier. With the wars to reclaim the Nine realms, they'd expanded the training grounds and it was the closest place to grab a weapon.

They raced up the halls, dodging down empty corridors for extra distance as Kagome could feel the auras of the intruders coming closer. In one wall she found a niche which housed a large vase and made quick work of pulling it out and stuffing Jane in to crouch behind it.

"Stay!" She pushed the vase back as well as she was able and then placed a strong barrier in front of it.

"I mean it. Stay here."

Not waiting for any argument or confirmation, Kagome turned and ran again, close now to the courtyard where she could sense the mayhem of soldiers and guards making ready for an invasion. Frigga ran toward her, yanking the sword from a passing guard.

"Kagome, where is Jane?"

"Safe. I've hidden her."

She sagged in relief and then glanced back around behind her.

"They must be here for the Aether. I will keep them off her trail."

Worry took root in her heart, and Kagome found the strength to push down her anger in favor of the love she felt instead. She grabbed Frigga's hand and met her eyes urgently.

"Be safe. _Please _be safe."

With a sweet smile and a motherly pat to her fingers, Frigga shooed her on.

"I will always work to keep _you_ and all those who rely on me safe. Now go. It is dangerous to dawdle."

Taking just one more moment, Kagome kissed her cheek, and then hiked up her skirts and tucked the extra length into her belt. She took off toward the open center of the courtyard where the training grounds had been extended and vaulted over the side down onto the dusty, hard packed floor. Most weapons had been grabbed up for use at first sign of trouble but enough lay scattered about that she soon had a bow and a sufficient quiver. An immense and concerning flash of power washed across her senses and the atmosphere of urgency quickly changed to one of panic.

'_That... was not good. I need to get outside. Now.'_

She changed her course, bypassing the gathering guards and ducking away from any eyes that might see her and wish to halt her progress. She was not far from the ground floor, so she made her way to the old training grounds, pushing her legs to carry her farther, faster, ignoring the burning of her muscles.

'_It's dangerous to go alone._'

Heimdall's cryptic warning whispered in the back of her mind, but she ignored it as well, snatching up a few more stray arrows as she crossed the sparring floor and burst through to the target yard. Then she turned back to face the castle and sent out a massive surge of reiki, guiding it to quickly but carefully circle the castle and gather up, up up and around in a giant barrier. She'd practiced this many times, but it had been a strain on her to make a barrier this large _and_ strong enough to prevent anyone from breaking through.

But she would do it this time. That castle housed the people she held most dear, and she would not fail to protect them.

She felt a faint, distant pull on her reservoir of power, signaling that Heimdall had triggered the charm Loki had helped her make that would place a barrier around the bifrost without her there. She took it as a signal that trouble was imminent and sent another strong pulse of reiki out, willing her barrier into faster existence. She could see approaching ships sailing quickly in their direction, dwarfed by the colossal craft that floated slowly behind them. She had no idea where those ships came from, or who was on them, but it was apparent that they didn't mean anything good.

Quelling her panic, Kagome pointed all of her concentration to the task at hand, closing her eyes and centering herself, yanking more and more reiki from the inner well that resided deep in her soul and strictly ignoring everything else. The barrier continued to inch up and she mentally cheered that she could feel the edges growing closer, eager to meet.

Outside of her awareness, another ship unrelated to the attacking host phased into view. A woman who's skin matched the color of new spring growth stepped down quietly on the hard dirt, watching for a moment behind a large target, as _her_ target remained completely unaware. The sight of the woman's power on full display was an encouragement. Perhaps her father had been right, and they were certainly blessed to come in unnoticed thanks to an unexpected invasion.

She skimmed forward silently, removing a weapon designed to only incapacitate, and when she was in range, she flipped the trigger on her weapon and it sprang, wrapping tightly around the woman's body. She gasped, turning fearful blue eyes on her abductor, helpless to do anything but be dragged along as her bindings rendered her completely paralyzed.

As they boarded the unseen ship, Kagome tried to scream, but every muscle in her body had seemingly turned to stone. She watched in horror as the door closed behind them, blocking her view of Asgard and the palace she called home. Her last sight was that of her barrier falling and the oncoming ships touching down.

Panic seized her and were it not for her inability to move at all, tears would be wetting her face.

"Nebula, it's Gamora." She heard from behind her and all of her thoughts screamed for her family, her friends, her loved ones...

For Loki. She'd _just_ got him back. '_No, please... not now, not **again**.'_

"Yeah I got her, I'm coming back up. Open the ship."

'_No_...'

_A.N.: Listen... don't shoot me. _


	49. Chapter48

_A.N.: I feel I should warn you that this is the part of the story where things will not be very happy for a while. There will be angst. And struggle. BUT I also want to remind you that no matter how bleak things get, or which way the story turns, this WILL remain a Loki/Kagome story, and there WILL be a happy ending. Hang in there with me, guys! We're still going on a really crazy ride!_

**The events in this chapter are synced with events in the movie Thor: Dark World **

Tears rolled unchecked down his face and he let them. Slumped against the wall in all his sad indignity, Loki simply had no care to right his appearance at all. His furniture lay scattered in broken bits and splinters and bloody shards of glass smeared through red footprints across the glossy white floor. He had no idea how much time had inched by since that guard had come to break his heart with the news of his mother's murder, but it had been a long time.

A long time by himself, as no one had come to see him.

Not his brother.

Not his father.

Not even Kagome.

He cursed that foul, ugly creature for leaving him in here when it had made its escape, freeing nearly every cell of prisoners on its way.

Every cell but his.

He could have been there. He could have protected her.

He could have-

The dungeon door opened and he tossed up a simple, lazy illusion so sloppy even his idiot brother saw through it straight away. He let it shatter carelessly, staring blankly at Thor who took in his red, puffy eyes and bedraggled hair, the evidence of his breakdown, shreds of his dignity.

"Did she suffer?" A small thing to ask, surely. A yes or no to grant a fraction of comfort.

"I did not come here to share our grief."

_'I thought not.'_ Loki thought with a dispassionate snort.

"Instead I offer you the chance at a far richer sacrament."

The dozing embers of his curiosity stirred and he perked up a little. The chance of a distraction might be welcome.

"Go on."

"I know you seek vengeance as much as I do. You help me escape Asgard and I will grant it to you. Vengeance. And afterward this cell."

He flicked his eyes around and took in the carnage he wrought in his heartache, saw the faint, shimmery reflection of his disarray in the forcefield of his cage. A laughed a dark, humorless laugh and looked back at his brother.

"You must be _truly_ desperate to come to _me_ for help. What makes you think you can trust me?"

"I don't. But mother did."

Loki's heart constricted again, remembering the last time he'd been able to speak to her, and he hated himself for lashing out instead of treasuring her subterfuge to see him.

"And what's more, _Kagome_ trusts you."

Confusion marred his brow and the hard, angry look in Thor's eyes promised something that made him feel wary.

"Kagome?"

"They took her. The elves took her. After everything, I trust you to help me get her back."

All the soft, silly things he'd been feeling curdled in an instant, and a consuming rage swept through him in their place. He burned, a blessed burn that pushed him back to his feet. He crossed his cell, ignoring the glass and splinters that pressed further into his soles with every step. He leaned as close as the shield around the cell would allow him, and Thor's eyes glowed with anticipation as his own flickered with hatred, the need for justice, the need for vengeance.

"_Get me out of here."_

——————————-

_The room was dark and dank, though she could hardly feel the discomfort of the crumbling walls and dusty floors. Her arms were full, a deceptively sweet infant cradled to her chest. It whispered harshly in her mind, the fingers of its dark power sifting through her thoughts, her feelings, her will, burning through her consciousness while her soul recoiled painfully in horror. It taunted her mercilessly with her fears and she found comfort in the darkness that began to draw out of the deepest corners of her soul. _

_The infant is right, she could give in, it would be so easy. To stop fighting, to stop running from the darkness and let it consume her instead. She feared it now, but she could control it, harness it, let it carry her away in a soft, understanding embrace._

_With it, maybe she could win. Maybe she could finally prove herself._

_She could vanquish her foe, the one who caused this darkness in the first place._

_She could steal away the things he longed for and revel in his despair._

_She could-_

_No. _

_No__._

_That's not... that's not what she wants._

_HE is not her foe. She's NEVER wanted to hurt him, the one who's saved her time and again. The hurt she feels is nothing to the happiness he brings, and it's this realization that brought back the searing agony of the feel of the infant inside her mind._

_She had to get away, she couldn't let him poke around in that darkness anymore._

_But she couldn't move. Her limbs were leaden and her body was stone and she CANT MOVE._

_Again. _

_She's helpless. So helpless without him that she could be sick if she could just move._

_The infant's whispers picked up again, reminding her of the reason for her capture, the jealousy that chokes her._

_But it's okay. _

_It's okay._

_That jealousy is there for a reason._

_It's normal to be jealous._

_It just means..._

_Just means..._

_"I love-"_

She woke with a gasp, and though her arms and legs still feel heavy she's relieved to find she can move again. She did her best to drag herself up off the floor, needing to pause and breath and let the lights flashing in her skull fade. Her throat ached and her head pounded, dizziness threatened to push her right back down. But she had no idea where she was or who had her, and she refused to be any more vulnerable than she already was. She glanced around to take stock of her new surroundings, and her mental check list was alarmingly short.

"I'm in a gray metal room in a grey metal cage. How dazzlingly original."

"Are our accommodations not to your usual standard, princess?"

A large, purple... _person_ walked in from an automatic sliding door, flanked by two women, one with green skin and one with blue, and it became very apparent very fast that she had been taken by people from a planet she'd never been to.

"Accommodations are fine. This isn't my first time as a damsel in distress." She crossed her arms over chest in petulant defiance, eyeing her captors but keeping a tight leash on her reiki, not reaching out to test their auras, if only to keep the extent of her abilities a secret for as long as possible. "So, what do you want?"

With his hands behind his back, the large purple one walked slowly up to her with measured steps and then studied her with an equally measured stare. She met his eyes fearlessly, lifting a brow, attempting to come across as bored to hide the simmering rage and growing concern.

"You ask not who we are, but what we want. You don't desire to know who's taken you from your home?"

She shrugged and inspected her nails, sneering at the dirt and grime that had collected there from the floor of her cage.

"I don't much care. It's not like it matters. You want something from me like everyone else who's ever gone to the trouble of snatching me away. And like all those before you'll be disappointed when you don't get what you want. Same old song and dance."

He chuckled at her obstinance and the look in his eyes was almost fond.

"Ah but we expected this fire from you, his memories were clear on that."

It was bait, plain and simple, and she knew it. But something about his statement stirred her alarm.

"His... memories?"

"Oh yes, that fallen prince I caught in my net. It was his memories that led me to you. He was so easy to break and sift through, half cracked already when I offered him the peace of my friendship. But he was ignorant of the power he held in his hands when he had you, and I cannot forgive such ignorance. I had to rescue you."

She swallowed her horror and rage, tucking away this knew knowledge into a back pocket to examine later. Right now, she had a purple thing to piss off.

"You call this a rescue, pal? Either you have no basic manners to speak of or we come from places with wildly different ideas about hospitality."

"The hospitality will come, but first you must prove your loyalty to my cause. Sweet Soul Stone, I ask that you lend me your strength that I may avenge the universe."

Kagome looked past the kneeling purple alien into the faces of the women who'd come with him. Neither looked amused, which meant this guy was serious.

"Uh, I have no idea what you're talking about. Soul Stone? What the hell is that? And what does the universe even need avenging from?"

His gaze was impenetrable and dark, and she felt like things were about to take a turn she didn't like.

"From life." He reached back behind him, and the blue woman placed something in his hand.

"I expected a fight, so I came prepared. If the Stone is using you without your knowledge, I will simply extract it."

He drew closer and revealed what appeared to be a glowing blade of pure energy. Pushing through the bars of her cage, he touched it to her skin and just managed to gasp around the excruciating pain when the deep, unending well of power inside her swelled up and consumed her, pushing her consciousness down and taking control of her body.

"STOP!"

——————————

A blade at his throat, a virulent threat.

"Betray him and I'll kill you."

After a volley of threats from his so called friends and even a pathetic slap from Thor's little human woman, Loki _wanted_ to be angry at yet another jab at him and how far he'd fallen from all of their esteem, but mischief glittered deep in Sif's eyes and he felt like he may yet have at least the shadow of an ally in her.

"It's good to see you again Sif."

The light in her eyes turned from secretly amused to pleading, and she grabbed his wrist as he stepped away after Thor.

"Please Loki, bring her back to us."

He nodded with firm resolve and she gave him a tremulous smile.

Shaky, broken friendship is still friendship though, and he's not feeling up to pushing anyone else away. And most importantly, she's loyal to his bride.

"I will. On my life I will see her returned."

—————————-

"_STOP!_"

Thanos stumbled backward, closer to his daughters who readied weapons for their defense. Nothing like _this_ had been found in the knowledge gleaned from that useless prince he'd taken control of. The girl before him was expected to be hard to break, difficult to sway, firm in her resolve.

But the display she was currently putting on was equal parts breathtaking and terrifying. Her eyes glowed with holy light and her skin shimmered in pink electric sparks. Her voice had gone deep and choral, as if all the ages spoke from within her.

Was _this_ the power of the Soul Stone?

"We will not allow our vessel to harmed, Death Bringer. We are not the stone you search for."

"She lies!" Nebula barked from behind him, and he raised his hand to silence her.

"You are not a Stone of Souls? What are you then?"

"Connection to Souls is the only comparison between us and the rock of destruction you seek. But we are not your stone. We are a jewel forged from the souls of battle, and we have been pacified in the soul of our chosen priestess, but if you attempt to harm our Chosen again, we will be forced to rectify your arrogance. Painfully."

Her threat was not empty, but Thanos had not come so far to give up.

He would never give up.

He stepped forward again, energy blade at the ready, and his captive power source crouched like an animal ready to pounce. He pushed forward despite her warnings, and then she screamed guttural battle cry as beautiful, terrible power bloomed from her skin and forced them away.


	50. Chapter49

**The events in this chapter are synced with events in the movie Thor: Dark World**

While his anger still simmered deep in his gut, the thrill of chaos also bubbled up and mixed with a splash of battle lust, a heady cocktail of emotions leaving Loki almost giddy. He would get his priestess back, there would be blood spilled for her capture, and then they would be gone, long gone and far away from that measly cell they meant to forget him in. He could taste the freedom, the endless stretches of star fields to cross and innumerable worlds to discover. No expectations, no reputations, no ghosts from the past to haunt them.

It would just be them together in the universe.

So he planned and he plotted in the back of his mind even while he and Thor cooked up a ruse over the sleeping human woman who was the center of all this trouble.

Leaving Jane in the dark as to her role in their plan is instrumental. He and Thor are too practiced at this, and she is an unknown liability. Her outrage at his seeming betrayal when he pushes Thor down a dusty hill is almost amusing and Malekith believes him absolutely when he declares himself an enemy of Asgard.

'_Easy. Too easy. A whole planet of fools.' _Loki thought, almost disappointed by how simple this whole puzzle was to click together. '_But it's not over yet._'

Wasting no time, Jane is drained of all the Aether and it is rejoined inside of Malekith.

And then the battle is joined.

Loki quickly found himself surrounded by lower ranking dark elves. While he'll never match his brother's natural prowess in battle, he _is_ a trained Asgardian warrior and he is in no real danger.

Making quick work of all but one, he pinned the remaining elf soldier to a large, craggy boulder, stabbing his knife in his stomach.

"Where is she?!"

Loki watched with disgust as blood sputtered from the elf's mouth, sneering at his garbled answer of "who?"

"The priestess you took off Asgard! Where is she?"

"What priestess?"

He plunged his blade in farther with a dark, insidious glare.

"_My_ priestess."

"We... we took no one from Asgard. We came only for the Aether, which _you_ brought to _us_."

A cold, consuming dread washed away everything else, and with a quick twist of his blade, the elf fell dead to the ground.

He was not lying.

Kagome was not here.

But then... where was she?

The distant echo of pain, a searing, burning, mind bending pain raked through his brain and down his spine as realization gutted him mercilessly right were he stood.

When that cretin had been inside his mind, rifling through his knowledge and memories and finding all the scraps of whatever vulnerability he possessed to use against him, he'd been a little too keen on certain images of the strange, immortal human he'd made his own. He'd had very little control over himself at that point, but he'd pulled himself together enough to at least try to throw off any interest.

"_She's nothing. Just a human, a diversion, a fleeting fancy."_

Apparently it hadn't worked, and he was sure, absolutely certain with a sick, brutal certainty...

That Thanos had taken her.

'_How could I forget that? How? How could I be so stupid?!'_

His former plan was no longer enough. Leaving this planet and taking off with her was obviously not going to happen as she wasn't even here, but now it was very clear: if he wanted Kagome back, and he absolutely did, he would not be able to get her back alone.

He needed armies, he needed troops.

He needed... a throne.

Of all the tricks and plots he'd ever pulled, this was the quickest to come together, with the least finesse, but it _would_ work.

There was no option for failure.

Thor was about to be pummeled right into the ground, so now was the time.

He scooped up one of the discarded swords and one of those awful death traps and ran across the stretch of rocks and dust, impaling the ugly thing attacking his brother from behind and triggering the death bomb against it's side. He lingered like an idiot and just as he predicted, the ugly troll grasped him and yanked him forward, thrusting the sword through him as well.

It was painful, but not deadly, not that his idiot brother would know that with the second act of his little show.

With a seamless illusion his skin began to grey and Thor is devastated, speaking of honor and dignity, things that mean nothing, but he was glad to have gained a bit more esteem with his brother who he will likely never see again. With his "last breaths" he imparted one last important message with a flourish of flattery.

"K-Kagome... she's..."

"I will retrieve her, brother, and I will make sure she makes it through the grief of your death once more."

"No... no. Not here she's... not here..."

"She's not?"

"I'm... I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

"It's alright. It's alright. I will tell father of your deeds here this day."

"I didn't do it for him."

Thor's tears tracked though his hair and he wouldn't deny that he felt a mite of guilt, but he's mostly thankful that there was still so much for the others to do. Thor and Jane leave him behind to go continue to save the worlds, and when he was certain they were gone, he stood once more.

Pulling the sword out of his abdomen sends a painful shiver through him but it's easily shaken off. After one more moment to dust off his clothes and straighten his hair, Loki Odinson no longer stood on Svartalfheim, and an Asgardian soldier stepped away.

——————————-

Kagome's eyes flutter open to the sweet sight of soft spring grasses. She glanced around at the meadow she's laying in, confused and alarmed at the drastic shift from metal cage to open field. She pushed up to a sitting position and looked all around her, taking in her surroundings, and tension straightened her spine.

She was not alone.

Several yards away a miko looked out over the lush valley, a warm breeze trailing through her long silky hair and ruffling her red hakama.

Kagome stood and took several slow, reluctant steps, closing the distance between them, drowning in growing discomfort.

'_Surely not.._.'

"Kikyō?!"

The miko turned and her breath was stolen.

Her own face smiled back, eyes glowing white and pink sparks of reiki skipping about her skin.

"...what?"

"Hello our Chosen." The voice that spoke was many and endless, eerie, meant to inspire awe and fear.

'_It certainly works...'_

"Your... chosen? Who are you?"

"We are the Shikon no Tama." It replied with a haughty tilt of its chin, and Kagome's eyes bugged out at the revelation.

"But.. why do you look like me?"

"Because our Chosen, we _are_ you."

"I don't understand."

"We have found great peace and calm in the depths of your soul, and we will allow no one to wake the darkness held in check for so long."

"That's... very kind." Kagome stepped back, supremely uncomfortable and a touch creeped out to be talking with something that looked so like her. "But I don't understand... what any of this is." She gestured around helplessly, her eyes widening again when the replica of her face smiled.

"You are here because we had to take over, to keep us safe, to keep _you_ safe. You will wake soon. Remember Chosen Priestess, your will is ours, and our will is yours."

Kagome nodded, ready to wake up and leave this awful dream behind.

"Yes that's predictably esoteric. Thanks so much."

Her face smiled wider, but with eyes glowing like balls of starlight, it looked like an empty mockery of happiness.

"Be well Chosen, we will be watching."

———————————————-

Watching his brother grovel isn't quite so sweet as Loki once thought it might be, and playing the part of wise, doting Allfather is his least favorite role yet.

_'I already can't stand this damn metal eyepatch.'_

But this could not have gone more to plan if he'd been able to control every last working cog himself. Thor willingly giving up the throne, leaving it all to him, even unknowingly. He will have full reign with no questions or interference, exactly what he needed.

"If I were proud of the man my son had become, even that I could not say. It would speak only from my heart. Go, my son."

He could see the thankfulness, the peace of leaving with as much of a blessing from father as he would get, and Loki reveled in his victory.

"Thank you, father."

He watched Thor walk out and away, toward his new life, a life away from Asgard and he allowed his illusion to fall for just a moment.

"No. Thank _you_."

It zipped back into place as a side door was pushed open and guard walked in.

"Majesty, the first search parties are ready, we wait for your word."

"Very good, very good. We must get the girl back, she's a dangerous weapon in the wrongs hands. Go now."

"Yes, majesty."

He watched the guard go, and when the door shut firmly behind him, he let the illusion drop once more. He looked out from his place atop the throne, sighing in anticipation.

It was time to foster the greatest era of peace Asgard had ever known.

The soldiers were needed not for war, but recovery.

He had a priestess to bring home.


	51. Chapter50

_A.N.: quick thanks to EVERYONE who leaves me reviews, follows and faves. you guys make my day! _

When Kagome woke again it was back to the sight of the ugly metal cage in the ugly metal room. She was alone, so she took a moment to let the fear, hopelessness and frustration that she'd been holding at bay take over, and she choked out a sob and wiped at a few hot tears.

'_I can't fucking believe this. I JUST got Loki back and then I go get myself kidnapped? I thought I'd grown past this!'_

She felt so small and weak, catapulted back into the mind and body of that pitiful 15 year old girl she'd been at the start of everything. Young and helpless, constantly relying on the protection of others, always at the mercy of those stronger than her.

She was so much older, stronger and experienced. She was _not_ that child anymore, how could she have fallen into that trap again?

'_Hating myself doesn't do me any good right now. I got caught putting everything I had into protecting my home and my family, and I guess there's no shame in that.'_

But there was no Inuyasha this time to come bursting through walls or windows and sweep her away, and her Asgardian family had no idea where she was.

'_Have they noticed I'm gone? Will they even tell Loki? Will he be stuck down there alone with no knowledge that I'm never coming back because someone stole me away?'_

The anger, the bitterness was thick and sour, and apparently forgiveness for them all was still over the horizon. But still she missed them and longed to return to them.

She remembered something then, one of the dreams she'd had after her capture, of a time so long ago on a whole other world.

'_I forgot all about that. I... saved myself that time. Inuyasha may have saved my body, but I saved my mind and soul. I'm so much stronger now, I don't have to wait anymore for someone else to do the rescuing. I may have to bide my time for a while though.'_

The door of the room her cage was kept slid open and the woman from before with blue skin walked in. She paced slowly in front of the cage, keeping eye contact, stalking and slinking like a jungle cat. Kagome assumed she was attempting to be intimidating, and with her strange, inhuman eyes and the metal plates and bits screwed into her skin over various parts of her body, she probably would be intimidating.

But Kagome was the wrong person to try that tactic on. She'd spent her whole life around intimidating people, befriended them, made them her family, so she leaned back against the bars of her prison and watched her strange captor with a blank, bored expression.

Finally, the woman stopped, staring her straight in the eyes, arms crossed over her chest, mouth set in a firm, straight line.

"Thanos has decided to keep you."

Kagome blinked and then glanced down at her fingernails, inspecting the grit and grime that had gathered in the places they'd split and torn.

"Yippee."

"You are not the Stone he desired."

"I could have told him that."

"You did."

"Whoops. Must have slipped my mind."

Kagome shifted her attention back up into those large, black pupils, lifting one brow, meeting the obvious challenge, shattering her attempt to prove dominant and intimidating.

"Father thinks you could prove useful."

"Father?"

"Thanos."

"So, you're his daughter?"

"Yes."

She filed that information away for later and decided to press for a little more.

"And the green woman?"

"My sister."

"Interesting. Is there any particular reason you're bothering me right now or is this an attempt at some kind of interrogation?"

Thanos's daughter paused again, staring at her unblinking, unmoving, and it was _almost_ unnerving.

"No. I have no questions, only information. Father is still recovering and unable to come to you himself, but he wished you to know he'll be utilizing your power despite it not being the power he was looking for."

"Excuse me, he'll be _what_ with my power? I don't think so. I don't cater to the whims of any old psychopath, my power is mine and I decide how it's used."

A blink, a head tilt, and the blue woman turned back to the door.

"Very well. But father will be most displeased."

Kagome shrugged and examined her nails again, effectively dismissing the whole meeting.

"I'll add him to the list."

——————-

She'd dozed off sitting up against the cage bars, but the sound of the automatic door sliding open woke her again. This time the green woman stepped in, and her energy was totally different from the other. Confident where the other seemed forced, the green woman strode right up to her cage and crossed her arms, sizing her up before pulling a key and set of what looked like cuffs from her back pocket.

"Time to shower."

She rolled her eyes and held her hands out so they could be cuffed and then shuffled out of the cage and allowed her newest visitor to lead her to what she assumed would be a bathing facility.

"You're not putting up much of a fight."

"This isn't my first time."

Eyeing her again in curiosity, the green woman looked around to make sure they were alone.

"I'm Gamora."

Considering the pros and cons for a moment, and deciding that it wouldn't do much harm, Kagome nodded and returned her introduction.

"Kagome. And your sister?"

"Nebula." Gamora's eyes narrowed a moment and she paused outside another door before pressing her hand against a scan pad and opening it. "How did you know we were sisters?"

"Nebula mentioned something."

"Hm."

Once inside, Gamora closed the door and removed her cuffs before gesturing toward a metal box and pressing a button to turn the water on. Steam began filling the room, and despite herself, Kagome itched to get inside.

"I'll be back with clothes. This door locks from the outside, so don't bother trying to escape."

"Yeah yeah, I got it. No escape. Whatever."

When the door slid closed and she was alone, Kagome practically ripped her torn, dirty dress from her body. She tossed it in a heap and removed her underclothes, adding them to her dress pile. She reached up and grabbed her necklace, the locket Loki had had made for her but stopped short of taking it off.

'_Something tells me that would be a bad idea.'_

She kept it on and hopped into the shower. The hot water streamed down her skin and and soaked her hair, and she quickly found what passed for soap and scrubbed it through her hair and skin, removing the film of grime and grit that had coated her in that cage.

Finally clean, in the seclusion of the steamy metal box, Kagome allowed all the recent events to catch up and break her. The sound of the running water drowned out her broken sobs, the water mixed with and washed away her tears, but the heat did nothing to chase away the chill in her soul.

There was no telling how far she'd been taken from her home, from her heart. She prayed for the first time in centuries that someone, _anyone_ would actually bother to tell Loki what had happened, unsure she'd even be heard since she was now counted among the very gods she beseeched. She mourned the happy, easy life she'd lived with a family, a husband, friends, a happiness she'd fought so hard to claim and keep, ripped away mercilessly and crushed into dust.

Would she ever make it back? Would she be whole again?

The door to the shower room slid open and she placed a barrier around her body without thinking, needing to do something to protect herself while naked and vulnerable, but Gamora called out when she entered and despite being one of her captors, Kagome felt a modicum of relief to know it wasn't yet another stranger.

"It's me. I've brought a towel and some clothes. I'll have to burn the ones you came in, Thanos demands all ties to previous lives he sundered."

Kagome gulped and clasped her locket, grateful she hadn't taken it off. At this point, she'd have fought a blood bath to keep it.

"That's.. fine. They're dirty anyway."

The thought of her pretty dress made of fine Asgardian silk being burnt to ash left a sour taste in her mouth, but she'd learned that choosing her battles when in captivity was important for survival and eventual escape.

Gamora tossed the towel over the top of the shower door. She quickly wrapped it around her body and stepped out, eyeing the stack of clothing which consisted of something white and fluttery and not much else.

She lifted it, and it unfolded into a shapeless white dress.

"What the hell is this?" She asked with disgust, eyeing the shirt and pants Gamora was wearing.

"Thanos was inspired by the purity in your power display."

Kagome rolled her eyes with a snort.

"I'd rather go naked."

Gamora shrugged and twirled her ring of keys around her finger.

"Ship's drafty."

With a sigh, Kagome dropped her towel and slipped the dress on. She felt ridiculous, like she was wearing a Halloween angel costume.

'_This just gets better and better doesn't it?'_

Holding her hands back out, Kagome resigned herself to being cuffed again, and then was led to a much bigger, much cleaner cage in a much nicer room.

"What's with the change in scenery? Your dad trying to butter me up?"

"Thanos is very accommodating to those who ally themselves with him."

Her answers were were practiced, rehearsed, robotic, and Kagome could sense the early shades of resentment beginning to color her aura.

"I see. Sorry that I'll have to disappoint him, then."

She was put in the new cage, uncuffed, and left alone again. The lights were shut off, and with no windows to speak of in her new little room not even the meager star light of deep space could break up the suffocating thickness of the dark. Taking a deep, cleansing breath to stave off her panic, Kagome fished around in her neckline and pulled out her locket. She opened it, and the holographic image of her and Loki in their wedding finery, smiling, happy, and at peace gave enough illumination to keep her from feeling completely lost and forgotten.

She studied his face as it had been, remembered their life together, the vibrancy of him and his chaos and how secure it felt to have him wrap it around you as protection instead of trickery.

She missed him so badly it ached.

She allowed one spare tear to fall, snapped the locket shut and closed her eyes.

She would get back to him. She would. That was the only goal now. She remembered the things Heimdall said about worlds being on her shoulders but she was tired of carrying the fates of millions.

So she wouldn't.

She would cast off fate, for it had never done her any favors.

Instead, she would start doing what _she_ wanted and needed. And what she wanted, what she needed more than anything... was Loki.

Kagome Higurashi was no one's bitch, and she would no longer bow to anyone else's whims.

Not Thanos's.

Not Odin's.

Not the Jewel's.

Not Naraku's.

And definitely not Fate's.


	52. Chapter51

_A.N.: The Chaos Saga has officially surpassed 300 reviews and I could not be more shocked, awed or grateful. Thank you thank you thank you. I mean it when I say that every word you guys leave means so much! I've come to recognize so many of your user names and it's always a delight to see them over and over, and every new fave and follow just adds to it. THANK YOU. Now, onward to the next update, I wonder if you'll hate me ;)_

With no sun or moon or even a view of the stars to help her track the passage of time, Kagome had no clue how long she'd been held in this cramped cell, and no idea how far she'd been taken from Asgard. She would guess it had been days at least, as they shut off all the lights in her part of the ship every so often to prompt her to sleep. Someone would come in to bring her food, which had so far all been unrecognizable but edible, and nothing had made her sick yet. Neither Nebula nor Gamora had come to 'visit' again, and she'd been left largely alone, and that was bad.

She was a social creature, and the isolation was giving her too much time to think and feel things. She'd swung wildly from mind curdling anger at what had happened to her, to soul crushing fear at what was still to come, until she finally settled at a cool, simmering resignation that made her feel like a match head stuck on the bottom of a shoe; any little instigation would shatter it and she'd blow sky high.

But she was resolved for now, and she was more sure than ever at her chosen path: She would not be a willing pawn for anyone. She would simply do what had to be done to survive and get back to her home, back to Loki.

That's all she wanted, so that's what she would do.

The door slid open, and in stepped Nebula, stalking in and gliding up to the cage door with a false confidence belied by the shaky uncertainty in her soul.

'_She's really trying to prove something, but what?' _

"Haven't seen you in a while. What's the occasion?"

Nebula paused, staring at her unblinking and motionless, no doubt to cause dread and tension, but Kagome just found it awkward. Finally she blinked and pulled out a key.

"Thanos wishes to speak to you. You will be taken to him today."

"Can't he just come see me? I don't really feel like moving around today." It was a lie, she'd love to get out of this cage, but she did _not_ want to be taken somewhere unfamiliar to meet the person responsible for her kidnapping. Still, she held her hands out to be cuffed with no fight or complaint.

"No." Was all she got as her answer, so with a sigh of resignation, she followed Nebula deeper into the ship.

————————

"We've received the reports from the last search parties, Allfather. They don't hold much promise."

"I see. Yes well, when will they return?"

"In a fortnight."

"Have a new party made ready to leave the moment they return, and have the party currently on standby sent out at first light. I don't have to remind you how dangerous it would be for us all for the girl to fall into the wrong hands."

"Of course not. I'll get right to it, majesty."

When the door to the study closed tight and he knew he was alone, Loki allowed his Odin illusion to drop and rubbed at his eye.

_'I don't know how he stands that damn metal eyepatch.'_ He thought as he took one more look over the plans he'd made to efficiently organize Asgard's troops into scheduled search parties. He' orchestrated a plan that would send out as many at a time as possible without over taxing the soldiers and causing any time wasting pauses for rest. There would _always_ be _someone_ out there looking for Kagome. Meanwhile, he would stay mostly on Asgard to keep his subjects from suspecting anything was wrong, and pave the way for his eventual return. He had to improve his public image so he wouldn't be shuffled off into that cell again, and he had to do it without ever technically being here. He wiped his hand down his face and then rubbed his temples, attempting to break up some of the stress building up into a steady thrum of pressure behind his eyes.

'_Perhaps it's time for bed.'_

Effortlessly he cast an invisibility illusion and slipped from Odin's study, making his way to the family wing and sneaking into his rooms. He waved and broke both the illusion he'd cast over himself, and the one he put on the bedroom to make it appear perfectly made and untouched. He didn't want any servants thinking it needed to be tended to.

The last thing he wanted yet was to have anything tampered with.

He stripped off his day clothes and slipped under the sheets, cold from a long day of being empty, but as his body warmed them they released the slowly fading scent of the soap Kagome always used in her hair. He pressed his face into her pillow where it was the strongest and wondered if she'd done the same after he'd fallen from the bifrost and she'd thought him dead.

He hoped with every thread of his soul that, like he had been, she was alive out there somewhere.

If she was, he would find her, if it was the very last thing he ever did.

———————————

Thanos sat on a floating throne in a large, open part of the center of the ship, surrounded by windows to the outside. Kagome couldn't help but ignore him in favor of whipping her head around at all the revealing glass. The endless black of deep space freckled with cold pinpoints of distant starlight and watercolor streaks of distant galaxies and nebulas threatened to smother her, to crush her from every side. Logically she'd _known_ she'd been carried out into the universe but to _see_ it this way, this undeniable proof that she wasn't really anywhere, just floating in a cage in the unending reaches of the cosmos inspired a fear she hadn't allowed herself to feel yet.

_'I am... very very lost.'_

"Hello my angel of purity, I hope your new accommodations are to your liking."

Finally focusing on this Thanos person who had taken her hostage, Kagome tried not to recoil at the sight of him. He'd apparently been to visit her once already, but she didn't remember much of that encounter, and what she was seeing of him now chilled her nerves down to the bottom of her soul.

His aura was a twisted, writing mess of complicated darkness, that kind that came from evil done with intentions perceived as justified, or even good. Naraku had housed a darkness very similar to this, though his was much darker, much more selfish. Thanos was apparently a being with a cause he believed to be righteous, and had chosen a dark path to achieve it. She shivered, already wanting to be out of his presence and back in her cage alone if it meant never being near him again.

"The cleaner cage is nice, but I'm no angel."

Thanos stood and dropped from the floating platform his chair rested on, landing easily on the floor and striding smoothly across the distance between them. He was tall, looming over her taller than even Loki did, causing her to crane her head back to see him. Her heart beat faster the closer he drew, and she feared he might try to touch her, might get so close she wouldn't be able to breath. Her reiki stirred up in response, lifting the ends of her hair, skipping over her skin, and he eyed her for a moment before pausing several steps away.

"Not an angel? The purest soul I've ever encountered, but not an angel. Imagine it."

She blinked, unsure how to reply, unsure she even should, and decided to let him have his villain monologue and get it over with if that's what he wanted to do.

'_They always monologue at some point, right?_'

"Some would call _me_ an angel. An angel of mercy, an angel of death. I am the god that will bring balance back to this decaying universe and set it back to rights."

Kagome's brow furrowed a little as she searched his aura, finding no markers of divinity, no hallmarks of godhood.

"God?"

He gave the barest of shrugs, a wry little smirk.

"More or less. At least, I will be once I've rescued all of existence from its inevitable doom."

She glanced around awkwardly, waiting for him to finish. Gamora And Nebula stared blankly at her, but Gamora shifted and sighed with the slightest edge of annoyance. She looked back at Thanos who continued to stare silently down at her.

"Uh... alright I'll bite. What's the big plan?"

"Redemption through death and rebirth. Life, once it has been allowed to flourish for too long, is toxic. Resources are sapped, ecosystems are ravaged, climates are destroyed. Something must be done, and that something is me. There are stones, you see, ancient stones of immense power that will grant me the ability to set this imbalance to rights and restore the universe to its flourishing glory. When I possess them all I will use them to snuff out half of all the living beings in all the cosmos, and then healing can begin."

Kagome felt the blood drain from her face, the hope drain from her heart, and it took every ounce of concentration and strength to keep herself from falling to the floor in horror. This was so much worse than she'd ever been able to imagine. She'd assumed that, like Naraku and so many others like him, he wanted to amass power to rule some world somewhere. That would no doubt result in a lot of death, but what he was suggesting, killing half of all life in _all_ the universe...

She couldn't fathom such endless devastation, and it caused an uncomfortable numbness to suffuse her spirit as her mind spun faster and faster to try and imagine the scale of that kind of evil.

"H-how-" she took a deep breath and swallowed the lump in her throat before trying again. Now was not the time to lose ground with these people, not now that she knew how depraved they were. "How am I supposed to be able to help? I'm not one of these stones."

"Indeed you are not, I'm afraid I was mistaken when I took you. But, Soul Stone or not, I know you are much, much more than you seem. You can do much to help me further my goals. You are touched by the divine, you are proof I am walking my destined path."

Reeling, Kagome forced herself to breath deep and clear through the clouds of panic thickening in her skull.

"I am not a goddess. I don't know-"

"It does you no good to lie. I may have been wrong about your status as the Soul Stone, but I am not wrong about this. I felt your divinity when you attempted to cleanse me with your power. You failed, and that only further proves to me that I am right. You are a gift, given to me to further my destiny."

Her eyes fluttered closed and she squeezed her hands into fists, anchoring herself to the pain of her nails digging into her skin.

"And if I refuse? I guess you kill me?"

Her eyes flew open at the sound of his darkly amused chuckle and she watched him begin to circle her slowly. She did not turn to follow his trajectory, but the smooth, clear tone of his voice was impossible to miss. Every word he spoke was a bullet straight through her mind.

"Do you know how I came to know of your existence, how I came to suspect you might be housing the Stone I so covet?"

She shook her head no at his pause, and dread bubbled up to fill all the spaces between her bones, making her shiver in cold fear.

"A few years ago I journeyed through a much more remote stretch of space, looking for my Stones, liberating parched planets from their overgrown populations, when I found something most curious. A prince, half mad, half dead, fell through an opening that appeared right before my stalled ship. I picked him up, offered him mercy, understanding, a chance to gain all that he wanted and in return, he would retrieve one of the stones for me. He failed, sadly, and he got away from me."

He finished his circuit around her, halting in front of her once more, gaze firm and impenetrable. Kagome knew she was being dangled over a dangerous precipice, but she leaned over anyway, desperate to see what waited at the bottom.

"That prince called himself Loki of Asgard. I know you were important to him, know he is important to you. If you don't help me in my endeavors... I will find him again, and I will break him."

Rage, scalding and sharp, sliced through her, sending a protective wave of reiki to out to glide over her skin.

"You wouldn't _dare_." She spat, hot tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

Thanos stepped closer and reached out, gently grasping her chin, dropping his hand when she wrenched her face away.

"But that's what you don't understand, little goddess._ I already have._"

The words dropped like stones straight to the bottom of her soul, but he kept going, shoveling the harsh, heavy truth over head mercilessly.

"He was already half broken when I found him, it took no prying at all to break through his mind and do and take what I wanted. My scepter was without fail, and it worked flawlessly on him. I found his memories of you that way, and I knew I'd found something worth retrieving. I was right. Now that you have the facts, little jewel, what do you say? Allies?"

Her world spun off its axis, her heart broke and fell into sharp, innumerable shards, and all her hope fled so fast she could barely breath.

This had just become the most perilous, precarious situation of her life. She stared up at Thanos, face slack and eyes wide with horror, drowning in all the terrible things she'd learned in such a short time, needing to run, hide, get far, far away from the madman forcing her hand and crushing her will.

Her soul cried, for herself, for the people she would no doubt see dying in the future, for Loki, who she now knew had been tortured by this very monster.

She was lost. Oh yes, she was lost, and now she didn't know if she'd ever be found again. Tears ran freely down her face, blessedly blurring the horrible sight of Thanos' face, and then she simply closed her eyes and attempted to find her strength.

'_What do I do, what do I do, what do I-'_

'_You must tread carefully, for the fate of worlds is on your shoulders.' _Hemdall's voice, deep and rich and laden with knowledge broke through her whirling thoughts and stilled her.

'_Carefully. I must tread carefully.'_

Killing Thanos was reckless. She could probably do it, but then what? She couldn't fly a ship and his daughters would no doubt retaliate and refuse to aid her. Allowing herself to die was also reckless. She had a role to play apparently, and while she had no desire to play along with fate's whims anymore, had no desire to be in instrument to save a bunch of worlds like she might once have, there _was_ one world at least full of people she refused to let fall to this monster's darkness.

'_Okay, maybe two worlds.'_ Asgard _and_ earth would be just as affected as the rest of the universe, and if she was going to do anything to save them, she had to not die.

Especially since Loki was on Asgard still.

She would do anything to save him, to protect him.

And so she knew what she would do.

She would play the long game. She would gain Thanos' trust and keep her life and when the time came she would make sure he paid, somehow, someway, even if she only sabotaged his plans.

Scraping up her meager bits courage and lacing them with determination like steel, she opened her eyes and hardened her resolve, and victory lit up Thanos' face as she nodded once, accepting his imbalanced offer, like she imagined Loki had been forced to do only a small handful of years ago.

"Okay. Allies."


	53. Chapter52

_CW: very brief mention of suicide in reference to the first Thor movie._

**Events in this chapter are synced with events in the movie Guardians of the Galaxy. **

She didn't go back into the cage.

Apparently Thanos was an easy sell. Her quick compliance with his plans elevated her from prisoner in a cage to ally in a room.

It was plain, very plain, with nothing but a bed, some drawers in a wall, and a small closet with what seemed to be a toilet of some sort. No private baths, no gauzy, breeze blown curtains, no wide open windows warm with morning light; Kagome didn't like to think of herself as spoiled, but this was so starkly different from her home she'd been stolen from that she couldn't appreciate how much more comfortable it would be from that cage. She slid into her small bed, pressed her face into the thin cushion for her head, took a deep breath, and then sobbed at the smell of dust and metal. Even after Loki's scent had completely faded from their bed on Asgard it had still smelled like sun and home and familiarity.

This was none of those things, and the tang of bitterness that built in the back of her throat threatened to gag her.

The door on her new accommodations locked and the lights flickered out, signaling the end of another "day," at least for her, and she huffed in exasperation. No longer in a cage, but she was still a prisoner.

She pulled out her locket, something she did almost every night now, and opened it, watching the image of she and Loki flicker into life in the darkness. She studied his features, remembered every line and angle of his face, the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed or smiled, how they softened when he looked at her. She remembered how it felt to be wrapped in his taller, stronger frame, the exact rhythm of his heart when she laid on his chest, the way his eyes glittered when he was up to tricks and illusions. And then her heart broke for him as the new knowledge of what he'd gone through after his failed suicide attempt.

'_So that's why he ended up on earth. There was a stone there, and Thanos wanted it. He... he forced him with some kind of brainwashing scepter.'_

She thought of her last meeting with him, sequestered away in that little cell far below Asgard in the dungeons.

'_Why didn't he just TELL us that?_'

Be she wilted again, she knew why. What he'd done couldn't really be classified as much different than what Thor had done in trying to destroy all of the frost giants- an unexpected, undeserved attack on a fellow Realm member. But while Thor _had_ been banished, it had been conditional. If he could prove himself, he could come back.

But Loki... they'd meant for him to rot in that cell for as long as he lived. And he was a god, so that meant eternity, a staggeringly long time. He'd been given no opportunity for the redemption Thor had been allowed to have, and bitterness burned bright in her heart again before she snapped her locket shut and sank bonelessly into her meager mattress.

She was so tired of the anger and hurt, but it was still so fresh and new and so demanding of her attention.

But today had already been long and tumultuous enough, so she closed her eyes and forced herself to sleep.

———————-

The first time she'd been forced to 'help' Thanos she hadn't been sure what he expected from her and she was relieved when he'd merely asked her for a 'blessing.' She'd floundered for a second, not knowing what to do before poking his arm with one reiki charged finger,hoping that if it tingled he'd think she'd actually done something.

And then she'd watched in horror as he'd slaughtered half of the people living on the planet they'd landed on.

She barely blinked, eyes wide and mouth agape, taking in the carnage, the devastation, a pile of bodies that had once been living, breathing people. Children cried in the arms of their remaining parent, spouses grieved in the face of new widowhood, friends and family wailed their losses, and Kagome could not believe a second of it.

Wishing away half the universe on a handful of magic stones was one thing, but that Thanos was going to cull half the population by hand in the meantime was a new level of horror, and she ran to the nearest foliage and wretched until her stomach muscles ached.

When she finished heaving she almost started again at the sound of Thanos's voice crooning softly behind her. Her soul recoiled that he would try to comfort her, but she took a shuddering breath, wiped her mouth, and stood, meeting his eyes with defiant determination.

"I understand how it must look to one so pure as you. But it is necessary, and your grief is misplaced. I have _saved_ these people, saved them from themselves. Those that remain will thrive and count this day as the day of their redemption. Come, we must go."

She took one last look at the carnage that had been wrought, tucked it away in the recesses of her mind, branded the evil that had been exacted on these people on her heart, and boarded the ship.

———————-

It never got easier, but thankfully purging of life wasn't _all_ they did. They did a great deal of hunting for the Infinity Stones, scraping and scrounging for hints and rumors of their locations. It was like being on the shard hunt again, but with Naraku's group instead. She could even see some echos of Kagura in Gamora, who served Thanos faithfully enough, but she could tell there was a bit of rebellion bubbling below the surface, like she was looking for any reason to turn her back. She wasn't overtly friendly with Kagome, but she wasn't hostile either, though she'd made it clear she didn't want Kagome's friendship.

Nebula on the other hand...

Nebula _was_ hostile, but she was not giving up on Nebula.

She'd witnessed Thanos' blatant favoritism of Gamora over his android daughter and knew just how deeply those scars were running inside her, and now it made sense how hard she worked to try and prove herself. It was revolting watching her get taken apart and put back together to be "better" and "stronger" every time she failed to live up to her father's colossal expectations, and Kagome's compassion flared and her heart bled.

No, she was _definitely_ not giving up on reaching Nebula. She'd seen what this type of favoritism had done first hand and if she could do anything to soften that blow she would try.

Thanos sent them both on an errand to speak with Ronan, and though she winced at his statement that maybe being supervised would keep Nebula from disappointing him again, she internally cheered at the prospect of seeing something a little different to the interior of the ship.

They didn't go far, just the surface of an asteroid literally right outside the ship's hatch. At first she'd been frightened she wouldn't be able to breath, but apparently her Demi-divinity was good for something and she stood on its surface as easily as Nebula and Ronan did.

Ronan.

She shivered at the sight of him, the way his piercing eyes cut to her and stared through her. She'd had only a handful of interactions with him but each and every one left her skin absolutely crawling. He loved to "compliment" her purity, something he in particular was drawn to, though it usually came in the form of racial purity which made her sneer. She supposed he thought she would be flattered he'd look past their difference in species to see something worthwhile in her, but his darkness was even more vile than Thanos's and she wanted out of his company as soon as possible. She looked out at the universe around them, ignoring the conversation and warnings passed along between the two blue skinned aliens she'd become so familiar with, and tried to count every distant star.

She still couldn't believe the things she was seeing, the far reaches of space no one else on earth right now would be privileged enough to see unless space travel had advanced that far since her birth year.

Ronan left in a huff and Nebula strode back to the ship, leaving Kagome to hurry after her.

"Hey Neb, wait up!"

"My name is Nebula." She replied without stopping, though she did slow down enough for Kagome to catch up quickly.

"Uh... I know, heh. It's a nickname. You know, like friends give each other."

"We are not friends."

"Not yet, but I'll wear you down one of these days!"

Nebula eyed her for a moment before looking away again.

"No, father does not appreciate friendship between his daughters. He fosters only competition to make us stronger."

"Woah woah, daughters? He is _not_ my father!"

Nebula did stop then, tilting her head a little, narrowing her eyes and searching Kagome's face.

"Thanos views you as a daughter much as he views me and Gamora. It is his way when he adopts a lost one into the fold."

"Well, he's shit out of luck if he expects me to call him dad. I'll be your sister, but I am absolutely not his daughter."

Nebula looked genuinely shocked, which was surprising since she seemed determined to appear as blank as possible.

'_She's worse than Sesshomaru, honestly.'_

"You reject father's admiration?"

"Uh, yeah! Why on _Earth_ would I care how _he_ feels about me? He kidnapped me! I was more than happy to stay in my home, thank you very much."

"But, he would favor you, much like he favors..."

"Gamora? Yeah, I can tell she's his favorite, and that's really shitty, you know that right? Parents aren't supposed to play favorites."

She watched the wheels in Nebula's mind spin, and though she quickly shuttered her expression and continued on, Kagome counted it a small victory that she'd managed to make her think for a minute.

"Father looks over me because I am weak. I merely need to surpass Gamora and he will-"

"_No, _your father looks over you because he's a dick. That's all."

Recognizing the path back to where Thanos awaited their report, Kagome skipped ahead and left Nebula behind, but she could feel the uncertainty that now laced her aura, how she hesitated to think the things she always thought about herself.

She smirked, and when Thanos asked her point blank if Nebula had embarrassed him again she made sure her voice carried far enough for his neglected daughter to hear when she answered.

"No, she did great. Nebula always does a good job, you should be proud."

The shock and thin wisps of tentative happiness her new "sister's" aura lightened her heart enough to chase away another night of bad dreams.

_FUN FACT: I'm wildly in love with Lee Pace, and this is my third Fic featuring one of his characters, even if it is only a tiny cameo appearance this time. Ronan is a creep but I can't help but hold a little softness for him since he's played by one of my faves, heh. My other fics featuring him are a Thranduil/Kagome crossover and a Ned the Piemaker/Kagome crossover if you're interested in giving them a look. Until next time y'all, stay safe and healthy! _


	54. Chapter53

**Events mentioned in this chapter are synced with events in the movie Guardians of the Galaxy **

Loki paced in the king's study and breathed deeply through his dark frustration. Another search party had returned empty handed; no priestess, no information, nothing. They'd been sent to rest and the next party in the queue had been sent out in a direction previously searched with instructions to go even deeper, look even further.

This had been going on too long, and he was getting desperate. Every second she was out there in that monster's grasp without him put her further into danger and he feared the day he lost hope that she might still be alive.

Kagome was smart and crafty, absolutely able to defend herself, but she was also mouthy as all hell, and he didn't know how much disrespect Thanos would tolerate before he decided her usefulness wasn't worth it.

'_And damn can that woman be disrespectful.'_

It was always something that had amused him before, he himself being fairly irreverent, but now it only added to his stress.

He went back to Odin's desk and took out the plans he'd drawn up to have a rotating guard always posted near the Reality Stone left with The Collector in case Thanos went after it, which was likely. He'd already had extra guards posted near the tesseract, guards that were to inform him of any subtle flux in the powers inside of it.

Thus far it had remained quiet.

A knock on the study door sounded and triggered his Odin illusion, and the servant at the door entered at his quiet bidding.

"My king," the servant bowed, and then approached the desk with several long, rolled parchments. "The royal architect has delivered these for your approval. The plans you asked to be drawn up for a new theater stage and statues."

"Ah yes. Thank you my good man, you may leave them and go."

When the servant was good and gone he dropped his transformation and rubbed at his eye, still not used to the way the metal patch dug into his skin, and unrolled the plans and looked them over one at a time.

Superfluous, they were all extravagant and superfluous. Silly. Ridiculous. But they were distracting, keeping his subjects attentions off what he may be doing behind the scenes and focused on easy entertainment.

And if he used his new theater for Pro-Loki propaganda then it wasn't just a waste of precious "find-Kagome-immediately" resources.

He snorted at the plans for a great statue of himself, knowing exactly what his little wife would have to say about it. His mouth twitched up in amusement as he adjusted the dimensions of the statue of himself to be bigger. If he was going to buy her criticism for his vanity he may as well make it worth it.

He neatly rolled the diagrams back up and set them aside for later, and then made himself invisible to go to his rooms for a much needed escape before checking on the hopeless fool he'd replaced Heimdall with.

—————-

Thanos raged silently, but his aura swelled, swirled and buffeted against her with deep tides of anger, loud and harsh and consuming. It was nauseating, and Kagome longed to rush away to her room and bury herself under her thin, scratchy blanket. But ever since Gamora had defected and Nebula had been captured, he'd kept her close, _way_ too close, scarcely letting her leave his side save for when she was locked away in her room at night.

He was the worst kind of company, waffling between waxing poetic about his self imposed destiny as savior of the cosmos and reminding her that she alone was responsible for the safety of her own family, one toe out of line and he'd go straight to them.

She was wilting, she could feel it. Her extended stay with Thanos after not only two years of grieving, the shocking blow of her family's lies and Loki's sudden reappearance was all proving to be too much, and she desperately needed to get away, far far away and just breath.

But Thanos did not trust her, especially not after his most beloved daughter had betrayed him, and the other had been taken away.

She glanced up at him on his floating throne and shivered at the twisted scowl on his face.

"Time for bed." He lept down and Kagome tried not to sag in relief and skip merrily down the hall when he led her to her room. The sound of the lock at her back didn't even cause the flinch of dread it used to, feeing a lot more like freedom than prison.

She would dwell on how concerning _that_ shift in mindset was later. For now, she hopped into her bed and pulled the cover over her head. The lights clicked off as they always did, and she brought out her locket for her nightly gazing. As she allowed the shimmering hologram of her wedding portrait to illuminate her little shell of safety under her sheets, she allowed little blossoms of hope to unfurl deep in the recesses of her soul.

Gamora had _betrayed_ them. She'd left. She'd chosen to go against their long held mission and pursue something for herself! This was huge, so very very huge, with a lot of potential for havoc against Thanos and the mission he'd put them all on, as Gamora knew what he was up to, and she'd be in danger of quickly losing her freedom if he couldn't be stopped before it was too late.

But the thrill of excitement at all of those possibilities died a little at her remembrance of Nebula's fate.

She'd been captured and that did not bode well for her. Her holders certainly had no good intentions for her but if she managed to return, Thanos' anger and disappointment at another perceived failure on her part was sure to bring her levels of pain he hadn't yet unleashed on her.

She secretly hoped they never found her, though she would miss her. She was _just_ starting to crack her, she could tell Nebula wanted to actually settle into some kind of... maybe not friendship, but an easier camaraderie where she didn't feel such a need to prove herself.

And now they'd probably never have it.

'_All the better. She needs to learn to be fine with herself and if she comes back here, Thanos will just take her apart again and make her feel terrible all over.'_

She sighed and took one last look at Loki's face, taking all the love and longing it made her feel and stuffed those feelings even deeper down in her heart and soul where she could build strength from it for all that she could feel coming.

The promise of the safety of her loved ones was a good leash, but it was the _only_ leash that tethered her to Thanos. She did not believe in his cause, nor did she feel any loyalty or familial bond toward him. No, the only thing staying her hand from just killing him were his threats against her family, against Loki, and the fact that she'd be stranded in deep space on a ship she couldn't fly.

But just because she couldn't kill Thanos herself, didn't mean she wouldn't allow someone else to do it.

And she would.

Despite what he believed about what her presence in his life meant, she was not his goddess, not his angel, and she would not protect him. He was a threat to those she had chosen to protect, and for that, she would see him dead.

_A.N.: hope you guys aren't too disappointed that Kagome didn't meet the Gaurdians this time, but Thanos was never going to let her go that far away from him. She had to stay behind while Gamora was sent on that particular mission._

_But we still have quite a bit of road to travel, and lots of friends to make along the way before we reach our destination. It's not over yet kids! _


	55. Chapter54

_A.N.: I affectionately refer to this as my "let Loki day FUCK" chapter lmao _

**The events in this chapter are synced with events in the movie Thor: Ragnarok**

There are many illnesses throughout the cosmos that, once you've been infected, you're pretty well protected from catching that illness again. Though life itself had evolved into many different forms depending on the conditions of the planet it rooted to, an immune system was an immune system.

Unfortunately for Loki of Asgard, falling from the bifrost did not tend to imprint into the memory of one's immune system. The mind searing pain of being kicked out of the open tunnel of a functioning bifrost was like a mjolnir to the face, and this time, he didn't have the benefit of being mentally and emotionally numb to soften the proverbial blow.

He landed with a hard thud in a gross pile of something foul and peeled himself out of the hole he'd made on impact with a harsh swear and shook the ick from his clothes as best he was able. He looked around at the endless rolling dunes of garbage and the menagerie Of beings crawling all over them and felt a rage he hadn't felt in a long time.

"Fuck!"

Thor. It always came back to his ignorant, bull headed, good for nothing brother. Things had been going _so_ well, he'd been getting leads back from his search parties about infinity stones and his Pro-Loki Propaganda had been working swimmingly. Everything was going exactly according to plan, and then _Thor_. He'd ruined everything, and though it had been nice to finally be acknowledged by his father before he'd died, there'd been yet _another_ lie uncovered and that very lie was now wreaking all havoc on the peaceful oasis he'd turned Asgard into.

And now he was stuck on some trash heap planet in the middle of nowhere.

He quickly made himself invisible to avoid drawing unwanted attention and then set his sights on a large group of buildings he could see in the distance.

————————-

Sakaar had turned out to be a greater boon than Loki could have hoped. There were people here from every single corner of the universe and beyond, _so much_ information to uncover, so many connections to make, odds were great that someone here might be able to give him something useful to his search if he played his cards right.

He just had to be careful of the The Grandmaster. So far, he'd managed to mostly endear himself to the crazy leader of Sakaar, and he was on his good side, but that could change if he wasn't very, very careful. Eccentric and ostentatious, The Grandmaster delivered gifts and punishments with the same sort of strange giddiness that inspired both trust and revulsion. It could be hard to know where you stood with him, but with his ability to sense a lie or falsehood, Loki could tell The Grandmaster was sincere when he told him he liked him.

Which is how he had to keep it. There were many, many ships in The Grandmaster's fleet, and the minute Loki found a promising lead on Thanos, he was going to take one and be so far gone from this dumpster planet so fast heads would spin.

In the meantime, he had a part to play, and an image to uphold. The group around him currently laughed and ooo-ed and ahh-ed at all the right times as he put on his most charming, disarming grin and made himself out to be a sad, forgotten prince. They ate it up, and now was the time for each to begin sharing their own stories, which was where he'd keep one keen eye out for any bits or bobs that could lead him to believe they may be displaced because of Thanos and his drive for the Infinity Stones. He'd picked up a few leads this way already so he had hoped it wouldn't be too long before he had something substantial.

"Loki... _Loki_!"

His name in _that_ voice could only mean one terrible thing.

He looked over and saw the one person who could once again ruin everything he'd been building here without even trying. His eyes widened as Thor's face lit up and he could already see his carefully laid plans shattering under his feet.

'..._fuck_.'

———————————

The holding area for gladiators waiting to be tossed into their life or death battles was disgusting. For the life of him, Loki couldn't imagine the reason the Grandmaster didn't fix this place up. He certainly had more than enough money. He hadn't been able to muster up the courage to come stand in this filth himself, but he had to do _something_ to convince his brother not to act too rash and potentially jeopardize everything _again_. An illusory double would work well enough.

Thor, of course, was his usual petulant self and Loki was quickly losing patience trying to reason with him. A rock pinged through his illusion and the tenuous grasps on his temper began slipping.

"Did you _really_ think I'd come see you in person? This place is disgusting."

Thor threw another rock, and Loki gave up all pretense of politeness.

"Alright fine, you want to be a stubborn brat, that's your choice, but I won't have you ruining what I've been working towards here like you ruined it on Asgard! The Grandmaster is insane but he is amenable. If you will promise to do _exactly_ as I say I will bring you to his side and take you with me when I leave."

Thor eyed him silently before looking away to inspect his nails with all the grand indifference of someone only acting like they didn't care a whit about what was happening.

"Yes I noticed you seem familiar with this Grandmaster."

"Familiar?"

"Yes. _Familiar_."

With narrowed eyes and a tick in his brow Loki crossed his arms in a huff and regretted for a moment he wasn't using his corporeal form. He'd never wanted to strangle his brother so badly.

"What exactly are you implying?"

"What does it _sound_ like I'm implying?"

With a measured breath, Loki slipped his unbothered mask back on and stepped back.

"Look, I've placed a large wager against you tomorrow. Don't disappoint me."

He disappeared, phasing back to where he'd split from his physical body, which was spinning all forms of flattery to draw away The Grandmaster's suspicions of him and his relation to his new contender. It was a relief to know it was working, he'd come too far and gotten too close to his goals to let it all fall apart now.

———————————

He wanted to scream. He wanted to stomp around and throw a tantrum like a child even as his entire body seized in fear and remembered pain.

It just wasn't _fair_!

As the God of Chaos, Loki liked throwing a wrench in other people's plans, mixing up their lives, shaking the foundations of their certainty, but that didn't mean he didn't like a little order in his _own_ life. Every single plan he'd laid had been thoroughly thrashed_ 'it's just not fair_!'

Thor was bad enough at swooping in and toppling his houses of cards but the hulk was a wild card he never had a chance of planning for.

'_What the HELL is the Hulk even doing on Sakaar?!'_

His brother and that beast had come to a sort of draw, and then _of course_ they'd tried to escape and _of course_ he'd been implicated so now he was forced to help them escape so he could get out of those chains and in a ship of his own.

Another mini betrayal, another disappointment, but he couldn't get wrapped up in whatever his brother was planning, he had plans of his own.

He fought with Thor through the guards to get to the door of the garage elevator and tried not to make his bristling too obvious, content to work in silence until he could split away again, but his brother, as usual, had other plans.

"How did you get close enough to the Grandmaster to get these codes?"

"He is a fool who is easily flattered." Loki answered distractedly, continuing their trek, not wanting to pause and waste any more time.

"Yes he seemed _very_ flattered by you."

The door was just in view, but the accusation in his brother's voice halted him and he turned on him with growing embers of anger in his eyes.

"Thor, what exactly are you suggesting?"

"You've mentioned several times that you've gained The Grandmaster's favor, I can't help but wonder _how_ exactly you managed it. You do all sorts of weaseley little things."

"I suppose you don't believe I _talked_ my way into his good graces?"

"Nope. Even you aren't good enough to out talk that kind of crazy."

"Are you... are you suggesting that I'm _fucking_ the Grandmaster?!"

"Would it be the first time you slept around to get what you want?"

Spine straight under the weight of his rage, Loki took a few seconds to breath and clear his mind.

"Have you forgotten that I've been married for a very long time?"

Thor snorted and crossed his arms, a disapproving frown on his face.

"No, but with as questionable as your loyalties are I wouldn't be surprised if _you'd_ forgotten."

Rearing back as if he'd been slapped, Loki transformed right before his brother's eyes into his feminine form.

"You want to know how I've gained The Grandmaster's favor? _This_ is how I've gained his favor! That lunatic has never touched me but when he wants a pretty face to parade around I let him exploit me without question and would you like to know _why_ I'm so willing to throw my own pride into the trash in order fluff _his_?!"

Thor shook his head dumbly, eyes wide with shock and curiosity.

"Because every last decision I have made since you left my body to rot on Svartalfheim with the disgusting carcasses of those worthless elves has been to find Kagome and return her to my side. _Every_ last decision. And you've managed to fuck it all up on every front without even trying! My loyalties to _you_ may be questionable _brother_, but my loyalties to her have always been the truest thing I've ever known."

She turned with a flourish and strode the rest of the way to the door, and Thor followed a mere second behind her.

"Loki I'm... I'm sorry. We... we should talk."

"I disagree. Open communication was never our family's forte."

She punched in the door's lock code and the door slid open and she and Thor stepped inside the elevator.

The silence between them was tense and uncomfortable, and while Loki remained still, Thor shifted and squirmed until he couldn't bite his tongue any longer.

"Loki, I really am sorry. Truly. I shouldn't have assumed-"

"Do you really think so little of me?"

"Loki, I thought the _world_ of you. I thought we were going to fight side by side forever."

Loki glanced down at the metal floor of the elevator, unsure what to say, sad for a moment at how much had been lost between them do to the damaging lies of another.

"Hey, let's do Get Help."

Loki blinked, the abrupt shift of her brother's moods scrambling her thoughts.

"What?"

"Get Help."

"_No_."

"Come on you love it."

"I hate it."

"Its great! It works every time!"

"It's humiliating!"

"Do you have a better plan?"

"No."

"We're doing it."

"We are _not_ doing Get Help."

————————

Peeling herself off the floor, Loki quickly split off, leaving behind an illusion and dashing to a nearby alarm system.

"I know I've betrayed you many times before but this time it's truly nothing personal. I just can't have you jeopardizing me any further."

Thor searched her face, a sort of sad resignation settling in around his eyes.

"Never one for sentiment, were you?"

"Easier to let it burn."

"I agree."

The electricity that ignited her body took her straight to the floor, and Loki could barely concentrate as Thor gave what she was sure he thought was a heart rending little speech and left her to the wrath of The Grandmaster after promising to find Kagome on his own.

And then she was alone, left to writhe in agony on a cold floor until a guard or The Grandmaster himself came to take her away.

And then then the pain stopped and breathing and thinking came easy again. She rolled to get up and took note of the hodgepodge of beings standing together and staring at her.

"Thank you."

"Hello ma'am! We're just about to jump on that huge space ship. Wanna come?"

Loki's eyes trailed over the vastly varied forms of her rescuers, specifically the large rock like being holding the remote to the electric node Thor had stuck on her. They didn't look very promising on their own to be sure, but with Thor, Bruce and the Valkyrie long gone, she didn't have many options.

She nodded and straightened her hair and spine.

"Yes, well, you do seem like you're in desperate need of leadership."

"Why thank you."

They boarded the largest ship in the grandmaster's fleet, and Loki had them steered _away_ from the Devil's Anus.


	56. Chapter55

_A.N.: hey pals, the updates have slowed a little. I've nearly depleted my "chapter buffer" and I really don't want to post all my pre-written chapters and then catch up with where I am in the story, so I'm just going to slow down from the every other day updating I was doing lol. I'm still writing several chapters ahead from where I'm posting, and where I'm currently at in the story, I'm juggling SEVERAL characters and that gets tricky. I'm also JUST about to start writing the home stretch. I'm almost to the Penultimate Peril, if you will. Big things, big things. I will leave you with this reminder before you go forward into this chapter: this story has a **happy ending**. This story **started as Loki/Kagome** and it will **end as Loki/Kagome. **_

_**Content Warning: character death, described as it happens in Thor: Ragnarok **_

**The events in this chapter are synced with events in the movie Thor: Ragnarok **

The ship rocketed toward a small portal clear on the other side of the Sakaaran skies from The Devil's Anus, path free of nearly all the ships pursuing the Commodore, but something thick and sour churned through Loki's insides. Green power fizzed and glowed as Loki returned to his male form and he ground his teeth in his burning frustration.

'_You'll always be the god of mischief, but you could be more.' _

_'I am more_.' He thought bitterly, and then a face soft with love, pride and devotion flashed through his memory, one that he missed so fiercely he nearly doubled over.

'_I... WAS more_.'

Kagome had always believed he was more than just his mischief and lies. She'd valued his ability to tell stories and the change he inspired with his chaos in ways no one before her ever had.

'_I... forgot how worthy SHE made me feel._' For so long he'd been so wrapped up in the unworthiness he felt due to his father's treatment, he'd never let himself fully settle into the acceptance he'd found in one remarkable woman who'd chosen him over all others.

He walked up to the window in front of the pilot's seat occupied by Korg, that large rocky being who'd technically saved his life and stared angrily at the small, innocuous portal about to spit them out in some random part of the universe and growled.

He was_ so close_. He was going to get _away_. He was going to _find her_.

He _couldn't do it._

'_I've got a chance to put what's left of my family back together completely and that shouldn't mean as much to me as it does. I need to find HER, I need to find KAGOME.'_

"DAMMIT!"

Korg startled and whipped around.

"Oh! Hello there! Where'd you come from? Does our captain know you're here? She was just here, you can talk to her."

"I am the captain just... Turn this ship around now!"

"Are you sure?"

'_I'll find her. I'll find her, I WILL... just... I have to save my brother first. I have to save Asgard. She'd want me to. **I** want to.'_

"Yes. We're going through the Anus."

———————————————

Alone on the ship once again, Kagome tried her hardest to stay calm. She'd taken to meditating for long stretches of time to keep her nerves and powers under control.

Not long after Gamora and Nebula had left or been taken, Thanos stopped letting her leave the ship, simply demanding a "blessing" from her and shoving her in her room and locking the door. He kept his other "children" close now though, and they all gave her the creeps. Unlike Gamora, who housed undercurrents of rebellion and desires for freedom, and Nebula, who's true devotions had been toward surpassing Gamora, these "children of Thanos" were wholly devoted to him and his cause, and they fawned over every move he made. They tried to fawn over her, no doubt having been told by Thanos that she was to be respected as the "angel of purity and mercy" that she was, but she'd taken to zapping them when they got too close and eventually they got the hint to stay away. And the further the better, it made her sick to be too close to them.

She was sick now, watching them flit and flutter at Thanos's every beck and call, and there was an urgency building, big, big plans being made right under her nose and she, of course, would be expected to go along without being told a single detail. Something was about to happen that would no doubt change the latest status quo of her life and she couldn't decide if it would be a good change for her, if it would afford her a golden opportunity to escape, or if it would mean even stricter imprisonment.

Escape would mean destroying Thanos entirely. If she wasn't absolutely certain she could be his demise, escaping would be a waste, as he would then target her family on Asgard, and her entire goal was keeping him _away_ from them.

It would be difficult; he'd grown more suspicious of her the longer he'd held her captive, and she was certain he'd begun catching on to the fact that she was using her powers to not only protect _him_ when they were "cleansing" planets, but to also protect some of the lives he attempted to snuff out.

It wasn't much, but as her large barriers she'd place around Thanos would also add a pink filter to everything he saw outside of them, he couldn't tell that she also placed several barriers around Souls she could feel trying to hide away or run for cover. They would be protected from bullets or lasers shot into crowds and, shockingly, her barriers could even deflect technologies designed to scan thick foliage or rocky terrain for hidden lives.

She'd gotten away with it for a while and managed to save a handful of unfortunate souls here and there, but she suspected Thanos had caught on, and that coupled with Gamora's betrayal and Nebula's capture had probably been what resulted in her being left on the ship entirely. Thanos would come to her room, demand a barrier be placed around him, and then he'd lock her back up.

One thing was very evident, no matter what else was happening: things were about to irrevocably change yet again, and a knot of anxiety tied itself sharp and tight in the bottom of her stomach. With more scraping and bowing the henchman scurried away, anticipation and desperation to please pushing them out of the ship and in the direction of their given coordinates.

Thanos then turned to her with a satisfied grin that made her soul feel clammy.

"My angel, my day of reckoning has arrived and justice draws nigh. Can you sense it? Can you hear the universe rejoicing?"

Kagome's eyes widened and dread washed through her. She could feel something dawning alright, but she was certain it wouldn't quite be the glorious victory he was promising.

She swallowed down the knot in her throat and cleared it with a shaky 'ahem' before straightening.

"Are we... are we going somewhere? Are we following your min-uh... your children?"

"No, they have been given their task. A monumental one but I am confident they will succeed. We are going somewhere else, I have a stone to retrieve."

————————

"_Your savior is here!_"

Fighting alongside his brother again, choosing to put his quest on hold for the good of his people, of his family, being the _more_ he'd always had lurking deep in his soul thrilled him in a way he hadn't felt in ages, lighting up all the dusty parts of him he'd almost let the darkness swallow.

It was a rush, a formerly forbidden euphoria, and as far as Loki was concerned, the chaos of straight up destroying Asgard only added to it. He would find somewhere else for he and Kagome to belong, it didn't have to be _here_, and so he marched resolutely to the eternal flame with Surtur's head, determined to raise him from the grave and trigger Ragnarok to stop his crazed, oldest sibling.

He passed the tesseract and stopped. It glowed at his back, power swirling with a deceptive innocence and he damned himself for not being able to leave it alone.

Letting it crumble in the destruction of Asgard was the wisest decision. If it didn't exist then Thanos couldn't get his hands on it.

But the most useful decision... was to take it.

With it, he could go anywhere in the universe with ease, and that would certainly make his searching for his missing wife just that much easier.

He turned back, grabbed the cursed cube, and pushed on toward the flame.

——————————

Locked back in her room with no windows and only artificial lighting, Kagome had no way of knowing if they were zooming through space or completely stationary, and the metal walls and electric currents overwhelmed her abilities to sense auras, so she had no way of knowing if she was on a ship full of souls, or completely alone.

That had been one of the most difficult aspects of the more recently stricter confinement, not knowing if she was surrounded or isolated completely. She wondered if it wasn't some sort of psychological torture Thanos had cooked up in order to endear her to him; if she was traumatized from being so alone, she might feel relief upon seeing him, but if that was his plan, it was _not_ working. She'd much rather be alone than anywhere near him.

The lights in the ship shut off, signaling her "night time." She scrambled blindly into her little cot and pulled the covers over her head, clasping her locket and closing her eyes tightly against the suffocating darkness that never got any easier to exist in.

With a shaky sigh and nothing else to do, she settled in to sleep, dreading what news the morning would bring.

———————-

He probably should have suspected this. Every other promising plan had shattered ruthlessly, why should this one be any different?

And shattered by Thanos himself.

And they were surrounded, and he was tired, so so tired that the cogs of chaos in his mind refused to click with their typical efficiency for a path out and around them.

If Thanos was here, then so was Kagome, and he couldn't even think of one useless plan to get to her, he'd even lost the tesseract to save his brother so that plan was out too.

'_She would be proud of me_.' He thought, and it brought a distant sort of comfort. She'd always been proud of him, even when he didn't deserve it, but he finally felt like he'd made himself into someone worthy of that pride.

And now he was going to die.

Not for his own hurts and shame, no, not for himself at all.

For Asgard.

For his brother.

For _her_.

Thanos wrapped his hand around his throat and lifted him from the floor. His legs flailed and he clawed at the large fingers constricting his wind pipe. His last ditch effort to save them all had been pitiful and sad and it had failed as spectacularly as all his other plans. Fate, it seemed, was simply not on his side.

Darkness bled through the corners of his eyes as his lungs burned and his head grew light and fuzzy. Thanos smirked evilly and the gauntlet on his hand glowed with the power of his collected stones.

"You... w-will n-never... be a _god_."

The hand around his neck tightened and a rippling, tingling feeling so warm and treasured and unexpected erupted from his chest and suffused his body like an embrace. This was an energy he knew, an energy he recognized, and it brought one last, glowing memory of the one face he'd longed for and would never see again.

With a sickening snap, the lights went out.

His body dropped to the floor and the ship broke apart. Crumbling bits of it flew in all directions, limp bodies of innocent victims lost to the void of space.

A sparkle, a glow, and then a swell of purity encased the body of Prince Loki, son of Laufey, son of Odin, once king of Asgard, as he drifted away into the endless darkness between the stars.


	57. Chapter56

**Events in this chapter are synced with events in the movie Avengers Infinity War**

Kagome woke with a harsh scream, sweat and tears pouring down her face and her skin glowing with agitated reiki. It lit the room as eddies of it floated from her and swirled off into the darkness. She frowned as she pressed her hand to her chest above her racing heart, clutching at her locket that felt hot to the touch.

'_What_...'

the lights to her room flickered on and she pinched her eyes shut, the signal of a new day searing her corneas. The slot in the wall that acted as food delivery when she was locked up alone flicked open and the strange smell of the breakfast gruel wafted out and she slid off her bed to collect it. She mostly played with it, a strange sense of foreboding tingling her all over and making her restless. She forced a few bites down and then paced, hoping Thanos would return soon and let her out. Hour after anxious hour spun by and still she found herself locked in her small, metal box of a room, so stifled by the silence that the sound of her food slot opening for lunch startled her so badly she almost cried. Once again she could only pick around at her rations, deciding that perhaps meditation would help calm her nerves enough to relax and eat something. She closed her eyes and centered herself, dropping her consciousness into the well of purity that existed in her soul, allowing it to consume her, suffuse her being, cushion her from danger both real and perceived, and her heart rate and racing thoughts slowed to a comforting crawl.

There was very little to experience in this state of concentration. Most everything inside her had been muted, including her thoughts, feelings and awareness of the passage of time, but her reiki flashed and swirled behind her eyelids, making her feel as though she was floating in a tank of pink water. It was just the soothing sensation she needed to take the edge off of her jitters, and she allowed herself to sink further down into the cooling peace.

A bright, white spark flared and flitted about, and she got the impression it wanted her to follow, so she followed its lead deeper into her conscious, deeper through the pink depths of her power, until it shifted and blurred around her. Her eyes fluttered open to find herself in a strangely familiar meadow full of lush grass dotted here and there with a whole rainbow of blooms, the distant edges lined with a happy forest.

"Where am I? I know I've seen this place before..."

"Indeed you have."

Spinning quickly around, Kagome was shocked to find herself staring into her own face, smiling serenely at her with glowing eyes.

The voice that spoke again was not her own voice, it was a multitude of voices blended together speaking at once, and it sent a chill down her spine.

"We have brought you here before, our Chosen."

"You... have? Who are you?"

"We are you. We are the jewel."

She gasped in remembrance as the memory of her last time here came back. Shortly after being captured by Thanos she'd seen this place, talked to this weird doppelgänger.

"You're the jewel... you're... me?"

Her face nodded at her, and then a bright swirl of reiki kicked up, surrounding them in a rushing cocoon of light and purity.

"We have found great peace and rest within you. You have done well to protect us, Chosen."

The jewel held out its hand and, reluctantly, Kagome took it.

"Uh... thanks."

"Are you ready?"

"Ready? For what?"

"To wake up."

"I... wake up? What do you..."

"He comes. Be ready Chosen, and remember: your will is ours, our will is yours. We _are_ you."

Kagome blinked, thrown off guard by the gentle smile on her likeness, the empty eyes, the affection squeeze of the fingers around her own.

And then she was shoved back through the soothing layers of her consciousness and back into the cold, harsh reality of her current circumstances.

Her lights flickered on, the signal of a new day. Her breakfast rations dropped onto the uncollected dish of her dinner from the night before, and then her door swung open and Thanos stepped in holding a long chain.

She blinked owlishly up at him, still sitting upright on her bed where she'd started her meditation. She eyed the chain as he silently shackled it to one of her wrists and then tugged her along. With a sinking feeling she noticed that the gauntlet on his hand glowed with several new colorful stones, stones he hadn't had the last time she saw him.

"The day of my victory has arrived, little angel. It's time to go collect my final stone and set balance back to the universe."

"I..." she had to jog to keep up, his long stride quickly tearing across the ship in his urgency to leave.

"Where is the Stone?" Her heart hammered in her chest, her breath came in shallow pants, her head buzzed with dizzying anxiety once again.

"Earth."

Her soul sank like a rock.

Earth.

He was dragging her to earth.

Of all places, this had to go down on _Earth_.

"_Wait_!"

She wrapped her hands firmly around her chain and tugged with all of her might, falling to the ground as a dead weight. He was too strong for it to physically stop him, but it startled him enough that he turned to her to hear her.

"Promise me again."

His brow furrowed, and she found she did not like his confused act.

"Promise me!"

"Promise you what, little angel?"

"Loki. Promise me Loki. His life for my cooperation. That's been the deal all along Thanos, from the very beginning. You will Promise me again, _now_."

His eyes fell to the floor and she felt like she was being dangled over the open jaws of some great beast.

"Oh, little angel. It pains me to know you've not come to see things the right way around."

"The right way around? Thanos, you're a monster. Why would I _ever_ see things your way? I've been complacent for _Loki's_ sake."

He met her eyes again and she noticed the weariness that had set into the lines of his face, and another layer of resignation shuttered over his features.

"Promise. Me. Now."

He lifted his hand bearing the gauntlet, the rainbow stones glittering pretty and menacing in their settings.

"I'm sorry, but sacrifices had to made for the greater good. You'll see it when this is all over."

The blue stone glowed and flashed, and something she'd been told before came back to her, some bit of information about Loki's time on earth and the dangerous artifact that had been retrieved with him. She cursed herself for not caring more about it, for only caring about seeing Loki again and not taking a few more minutes to really digest everything that had happened.

'_What was it... the... tesseract? The tesseract!'_

Her eyes widened with horrible realization and she stared, horrified, at Thanos's blank face.

"You killed him?"

"He was a noble sacrifice for-"

"You killed him."

"He will forever be revered as a martyr for-"

"You _killed_ him!"

He didn't answer her again for several moments, simply staring into her as every part of her broke. The stones glowed again, his face a hard, solid mask.

"I did."

A flash, a burst, and breathless rushing, and they were gone.

————-

Kagome didn't know where they were, couldn't recognize the terrain, couldn't make out a single face in the crumbling turbulence of her mind and heart, she just knew she'd been taken right into the heat of a battle with large ships floating across the sky.

She was hyperventilating, that much was certain, and she could feel her reiki bubbling up and surfing, hot and angry in response to the loss of her love all over again.

"You... you killed him."

Thanos ignored her, marching through the mayhem, searching for his target, the holder of the last stone.

Her skin tingled and her reiki consumed her.

"He was my only leash... you've severed my only leash..."

She didn't see when Thanos stopped to glance back down at her, for her vision had gone black as her eyes began to glow.

'_Are you ready?_' Her power whispered, dark and seductive, beckoning to her.

'_Wake up!'_

Her gaze snapped up to Thanos and with a bright burst of reiki she destroyed her chain and floated up from the ground. Thanos's eyes widened at the frightening display of her power he'd only seen the once before when it had almost spelled his premature demise.

"You killed him," her choral voice accused, and he wondered if he hadn't finally overplayed his hand. "So **I** shall kill **you."**

A feral scream was the only signal she gave, and then her power exploded out of her all over the plain.

——————-

High up in a penthouse in Tokyo, where the glittering lights of the city have faded and the only stars are the social elite, a man with shining white hair sat on his couch and flipped absently through the television, his brother, hair white as his own, pouring tea in the kitchen.

He paused at a news channel, fires and monsters and battles taking up the screen, and he sighed in annoyance.

The news anchor's voice was deceptively pleasant as she delivered the headline.

"We have a live feed out of the mysterious nation of Wakanda today where the private drone of the nation's princess is broadcasting what appears to be an alien invasion-"

'_Oh gods, AGAIN?'_

But then the camera panned over the field, zooming in on something that froze his heart in his chest and his breath in his lungs.

A glowing woman floating above the carnage screaming a desperate, broken scream, her hair and dress whipping around her with the fires of her power, her face the picture of agony.

He knew that face.

He _knew_ that power.

Even all these years later, he'd know it anywhere.

"What the _fuck_?! Shippo, Sesshomaru, get the hell in here!"

They were there in an instant, eyes roving over the screen, shock stealing their words and voices.

"Inuyasha... is that..." Shippo tentatively asked, and Sesshomaru's grave "Hn." Did little to break the awful tension.

"Kagome..." the Fox whispered, and the bubble around them burst.

"How the _hell_ did she-"

In a flash of Youki Sesshomaru snagged them both around the waist and folded them into his light orb with him. He hated traveling like this, especially since his brother tended to not give him any warning, but it was fast and could get them anywhere in the world in minutes. The older Sesshomaru got, the faster he got.

In almost no time at all they were bursting out of the orb right in the middle of a titanic battle and in the middle, Kagome floated like an ominous pink specter, raining deadly reiki down on the head of some ugly purple guy struggling to stand under the onslaught. Shippo and Sesshomaru quickly found themselves swept up in the battle, but Inuyasha couldn't tear his eyes away.

He watched as the best friend he thought he'd lost set off like a firework.

She screamed to the heavens, hovering high above the ground while her hair and dress continued to float around her in currents of power. Pink tendrils of purity swirled and writhed like tenticles, and white-pink bolts of lightening flickered throughout them.

"You killed him. You promised me!"

She rained her grief and terror down on her target, who brought up his hands to shield his face, but the purity of her attack began burning him and his skin smoldered.

Inuyasha drew Tessaiga from its bespelled sheath and made to leap up and grab her, purification he damned. She wouldn't survive this, but he was halted by another scream clear across the battlefield.

"_KAGOME_!!"

Flying toward her through the air, lightening streaking behind him, a being he'd never seen before threw all caution to the wind and grabbed her from the air, directing his own lightening onto the being she'd been attacking as well.

All on the battlefield stopped to stare, daring to believe this might be enough to end him. He was faltering under the enormity of the power in their attack, and he struggled to bring his gauntlet wielding hand up as his skin smoked and singed, but he just managed, using one of the stones to teleport away, at least momentarily.

The man holding Kagome descended, cradling her close to his chest, breathing hard and scrunching his eyes closed.

Her power had abated, now pulsing just a touch to lift the ends of her hair. Her eyes still glowed with unearthly pink fire, and her voice was soft and broken.

"He killed him. He's dead."

"I know Kagome. I'm so sorry. He tried... he tried to.."

"He's... he's _dead_..."

"He was not alone. I promise you. I was with him to the end"

"He's dead... and so I shall die too."

"No. _No_. Don't you dare! I won't allow it! Natasha! Natasha!!"

A blonde woman ran up, stopping several feet away and approaching slowly.

"Please, do that thing, do that pressure thing you do to make her sleep."

She hesitated, but reached out slowly.

"She won't hurt you. I swear."

The woman named Natasha touched a point in the back of Kagomes neck, rendering her immediately unconscious and the power ebbing around her went dormant.

"Thor... who is this?"

"She is my sister. I thank you, thank you Natasha."

Another scream of grief and anger rang from across the battlefield.

Natasha began turning away.

"I have to go, Thor. Please don't be far behind."

Thor passed Kagome over to a walking tree, addressing a raccoon at his feet.

"you guard her with your life. Anything happens to her I'll kill you."

Old, ancient instincts flared to life, instincts to shield and protect her that he could not fight, so he walked up, arms outstretched.

"I'll take her."

But the man, Thor they'd called him, turned to block him with a harsh glare.

"And who the hell are you?"

His ears snapped back, but Thor simply lifted a brow and brushed passed him, lighting up the axe he wielded with lightening again and running off into the thick of battle. The tree began sprouting and weaving himself into what looked like a cradle to better keep kagome safe while he thrashed any enemy that got too close and the weird raccoon fired mercilessly into clumps of alien soldiers.

Inuyasha looked off in the direction that this Thor guy had gone.

'_She is my sister...'_ he had said.

'_That is not what Kagome's brother looks like. Kagome... what's happened to you this time, wench?'_


	58. Chapter57

**Events in this chapter are synced with events in the movie Avengers Infinity War. **

Inuyasha stayed close to Kagome's prone form, choosing to protect by driving back enemies who strayed too close. He felt bursts Of Sesshomaru's yoki And plumes Of Shippo's Fox Fire as they took down their own enemies, and fielded glances from some of the people he was unexpectedly fighting with. They didn't pay him too much mind beyond making sure he was on their side before accidentally attacking him, and he left them alone as well, staying close enough to the Racoon and Tree that guarded Kagome but far enough to not cause any questions.

His mind was whirling trying to process everything that had happened and changed in the last rapid hours, to keep up with where he was and what he was doing and who he was saving.

After not seeing Kagome for over 500 years, he should be surprised that she's blown back into his life all of a sudden with no preamble.

But given the current circumstances, he's not surprised at all.

'_Damn wench would wind up in a mess like this. Whatever THIS is.'_

He had a feeling it had to do with those American heroes who had been all over the news the last several years, and the very strange array of powers being used across the battle field seemed to support that line of thought.

'_Whatever it is, I'll help her. I'll always help her.'_

Gods knew she'd never hesitated to help him.

The pitch of the battle shifted, quieted, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Several of the fighters on the field dashed foward and a surge of power tempted him forward as well.

He glanced over his shoulder, noted that Kagome was still safely nestled amongst the Tree's many branches, and decided it was safe to take off.

He skidded to a halt when he came upon that purple cretin back from wherever he'd fled, recovered and ready to brawl. He tossed everyone who ran at him aside, making a beeline for a different purple man taking a large beam of power right to the face.

'_What the HELL is going ON?!'_

The woman seemingly attacking the smaller purple man turned her other hand on the larger purple man, directing another beam of red energy at him, holding him off despite his own power coming from the metal glove on his hand.

The trees nearby rustled, and Kagome burst out. His eyes widened and he tensed, ready to leap to her side and sweep her away from danger like he always did, but she lifted her hands and fired a bright, hot bolt of sheer purity that combined with the other woman's power and drove their target farther back. Tears tracked down both their faces, and he brought up Tessaiga, charged up a wind scar, ready to help blow the creep sky high, but then a backlash of power washed across the field and tossed them all backwards. Thanos stood and pinned both he and Kagome down to the ground with surrounding dirt and debris, and almost in slow motion his gauntlet glowed, reversed time for the purple man who'd just been killed, resurrecting him before their eyes. He plucked a shining yellow stone from his forehead and placed it in the gauntlet with the others.

The man who'd saved Kagome before streaked out of the air, his axe embedding in the chest of the oversized enemy, but it wasn't enough.

With a sickening snap all went silent except for Kagome's shrill, anguished scream.

"What did you do?!" Thor yelled in alarm, and then the horror show started.

A vicious snarl rang out in the silence. He pushed the rocks and debris he'd been pinned with off and whipped around to find his brother, red eyed and feral, turn to ash and blow away on the breeze.

"Uh... Inuyasha?"

He turned again, finding Shippo staring at him, his green eyes wide with shock, fear, uncertainty. Inuyasha watched with sick finality as he, too, turned to ash and blew away.

All across the field, randomly and one by one, living, breathing bodies crumbled to dust and floated away, gasps and shouts and cries of horror and protest were a cacophony of misery and confusion, and when it was done they noticed that Thanos was gone.

Panic swelled and only was tempered enough to keep him on his feet when Inuyasha noticed that Kagome had not succumbed to the strange fate that so many others had.

A strong barrier bloomed around her, pushing the rocks that had caged her in away and she scrambled to her feet.

"Thor!"

He watched as she ran to this Thor person, flinging herself sobbing into his arms. He caught her up, crushed her close, fell sitting to the ground as he gathered Kagome into his lap where she curled up and pressed her tear streaked face into his shoulder. He petted her hair, whispered to her, and despite the way his fingers itched to fix her problems and shelter her from pain, Inuyasha felt helpless to do anything but sit near and watch over.

It wasn't his place to be her strength anymore, but damn if old habits didn't refuse to die.

The remaining fighters gathered close, stunned, needing to diminish the distance between them created by their missing comrades. He began to feel out of place, they all seemed to know each other in some way, but he only knew Kagome, and barely.

"Thor?" Her voice was small and broken, a whisper to break the heavy silence that blanketed the now still battle field.

"Hm?"

"Can you just take me home? I want to go home now."

Thor closed his eyes with a defeated sigh and dropped his head back to gaze blankly at the sky.

"I cannot. Asgard is gone."

She gasped, staring up at him with wide, haunted eyes, and then the queen of Wakanda rushed out, panicked, and ushered them all inside.

—————

They'd been given hot tea and wrapped in blankets to recover, count there losses and try to figure out where to go now. Kagome leaned against Thor's side, the heat of her cup seeping into her fingers, tear tracks drying on her face, numb to so very many things.

Loki.

Frigga.

Sif.

_All_ of Asgard, the shining, glorious realm she'd made her home for the last 500 years were gone. Dead. Out of reach. Non existent. Thor had delivered the news of the destruction of their home as gently as he was able, but he'd had to blurt it all out in the end, still too choked on his own grief. He was so relived to have found her at least, thinking all his family gone, and she was too heartbroken and alone to hold onto her past anger at him.

He was all she had left, her only family.

What were they going to _do_?

"Alright, Uh, we have some new faces here, I guess we should get caught up."

Kagome blinked up at the man who'd decided to take charge of the ever lingering silence. He was young, handsome, tired, and his aura was as wilted and exhausted as everyone else's. He nodded politely at her and she gave him a weak smile.

"I'm Steve. I'm assuming you're here with Thor."

She nodded again and, thankfully, Thor spoke up for her, sensing her inability to speak. She simply leaned her head against his shoulder again and closed her eyes.

"This is my sister Kagome. Thanos took her from us some time ago."

"Your sister? You mean the one that you said was destroying Asgard?"

"No Bruce, not that one. She's dead. Kagome is the only sister of mine that matters."

Kagome felt what was left of her heart smolder with latent anger.

Thor and Loki had another sister, hidden away and kept secret.

Another lie from their father that made a colossal mess of everything. If he wasn't already dead she'd want to strangle him.

"Alright well," Steve interjected, voice barely more than a ragged sigh, "who's this guy then?"

They all glanced over, not a flicker of recognition from any save Kagome who gasped in shock.

"Inuyasha?! You're here? You're _alive_?!"

His ears fell back against his head and his eyes widened, feeling uncomfortable under the weight of so many eyes.

"Uh... yeah?"

"What... what are you _doing_ here?!"

His eyes tracked around the room, noting every face watching him with an interest he didn't appreciate.

"Saw your light show on the news, thought you could use some help so... me, Sessh and Shippo came to make sure you were alright. We hadn't seen you in... well, we were kind of caught off guard. Then they Uh... got caught up in whatever that Thanos freak did with that bracelet thing. It's just me now."

Her heart fell. Her one time best friend that she hadn't seen in centuries, never thought to see again, who she'd thought long dead and gone and possibly even reincarnated at this point, was back and running to her aid without a second thought.

And he'd lost his family too.

'_So Thanos has now also killed Sesshomaru and Shippo. God's I hate him. I hate him.'_

"Oh Inuyasha I'm... I'm _so_ sorry... I can't-"

"It's alright wench, just had to make sure you weren't about to go off like a bomb on live television."

Stunned for a moment, unable to take in that he was really here and alive and speaking to her, somber as he was, Kagome merely nodded and then shifted her attention to the blonde woman who'd stepped up next to Steve.

"Speaking of light shows, what was that out there? And why did Thanos have you?"

With a sneer, Kagome looked down into her tea cup and tried to swallow down the thick, hot anger and disgust that haunted her from her time as a captive of the great terror of the universe.

She closed her eyes and shook her head, trying to think straight around the shock and the grief and the exhaustion.

"Um... he Uh, he thought I was the soul stone. I'm obviously not, but, when he found out I wasn't he decided I was an angel sent to bless his mission instead and kept me compliant by promising not to..." she hesitated, the grief welling up again and pushing passed her eyelids. She swiped the tears away and hunkered closer to Thor who'd wrapped his arm tighter around her shoulder.

"He kept me compliant by promising not to kill my husband. But my husband had the tesseract so he did it anyway. That's why I exploded."

Steve stepped back up with a concerned frown, arms crossed, cogs spinning in his brain to fill in missing gaps of information.

"Hold on... your husband had the tesseract? Who is your husband and why on Earth did he have the _tesseract_? It was supposed to be kept safe on Asgard."

"It was." Thor answered for her, as this was a piece of the puzzle that only he had. "But we had to destroy Asgard to save everyone from my sister. My other sister, not... that is, my _biological_ sister, Kagome is adopted. Anyway. Loki grabbed the tesseract when he went to trigger ragnarok. Thanos showed up very shortly after we all left in a ship."

Steve looked between them with growing alarm and confusion. Loki was not a name he'd thought he'd hear in conjunction to things related to Earth ever again. They'd had a hell of a time stopping him the last time he'd been here, and Thor had promised he'd be imprisoned forever.

"Wait..._Loki_ had the tesseract? But you said... you said your husband..."

"Yes," Kagome clarified slowly, mystified by what seemed to be him willfully missing the point. "Loki _was_ my husband."

An uncomfortable silence settled in their midst and the sudden icy unsureness coming from every aura but Thor and Inuyasha left her uneasy, but she held Steve's gaze unwaveringly. He blinked once, twice, and then cleared his throat awkwardly.

"I'm... sorry for your loss?"

She narrowed her eyes, but nodded in acceptance, too tired to press the issue or feel offended by how they were all acting toward her now.

"Thanks I think?"

"Right. Well, now that our mystery guests are accounted for, we should probably try to figure out what happens next." He shrugged, lost and tired and unwilling to take the leadership reigns again after all the devastation they'd all just endured. He was saved from trying to figure something out when the Queen of Wakanda swept back in and insisted they all be put to rooms to rest first, and then they'd be allowed to reconvene in the morning.

Bone weary and just plain sad, they all allowed themselves to be shuffled away, silently hoping that sleep would actually come for them and save them from their broken hearts and shattered souls.


	59. Chapter58

The accommodations in the Wakandan palace were lush.

So lush that Kagome almost found them uncomfortable. After staying so long in that metal box with a metal platform for a bed, the luxury she'd been offered here, while not so different from Asgardian luxury, felt foreign and strange.

The bed was just about the size of the bed she'd shared with Loki for 400 years, and she felt the cold, empty space next to her with a crushing acuteness. Tears stung her throat and eyes and grief coalesced around her heart so solidly she couldn't breath.

She gasped rapidly, attempting to get on top of the mounting pressure of panic that sat on top of her, but she was falling into it fast.

She sprang out of bed and padded across the floor to the balcony door, yanking it open and stumbling outside. She swallowed great lungfuls of the sweet, clean Wakandan air, and then blinked up at the glittering night sky, attempting to stifle the tears still threatening to fall.

She fell back on an old tool of distraction she'd picked up the first time Loki had "died" and counted the stars, but tears fell anew when she couldn't find the patterns and constellations she was used to.

'_I don't recognize these stars anymore. These aren't... these aren't MY stars anymore_.'

She sobbed then, unable any longer to stifle the sharp pain of her many losses that had piled up on her tired shoulders.

She was startled harshly out of her spiraling when a dark shadow fell from the balcony above hers and landed on her railing, yellow, glowing eyes slitted open to regard her gravely.

She huffed and pressed her hand to her wildly beating heart.

"Inuyasha, what the _hell_ is wrong with you?!" She whispered, and he slid off the railing to stand next to her, looking over the nighttime view of the Wakandan landscape.

"Heard you crying. Just came to see if you were okay."

She eyed him, taking a minute to really look at him for the first time in 500 years. So much had been going on earlier, but now she had no distractions to keep her from noticing all the ways he'd changed. Seeking out her tears for one thing, they used to make him turn tail and flee.

"You look older."

He smirked a little, though it didn't make his eyes less haunted.

"So do you."

She blinked, feeling awkward, feeling the massive stretch of 500 years gaping between them.

"Why were you surprised I'm still alive?" He asked with a tilt to his head, genuine curiosity lining his features. She shrugged and turned away, looking back up at the stars, unsure and nervous.

"Well, I don't know, I guess I figured you'd followed Kikyo to hell. The last time we really talked, we agreed I would use the jewel to bring her back for you and then that didn't happen."

"Holy shit you're right. That was the last time we really talked. Then you disappeared. What happened, wench?"

She sighed and closed her eyes again, remembering that time so long ago when she'd been ripped from everything she'd ever known and cast aside so carelessly. Those wounds had long closed up, cosseted as she was by the love of family and friends, but the memories were still ugly to look back on.

"The jewel decided it was tired of being tossed around, so it chose to use me as its permanent protector. It ripped my humanity away and fused with my soul. Then Mikoriko and the Kami showed up. They decided they were done dealing with the jewel and cast me out, warning me to find someone else who could protect me lest I be used by someone dark, so Midoriko helped me travel through all the pantheons trying to find some divine beings who would adopt me. Everyone said no until I got to Asgard."

"Aw shit, Kagome. I had no idea. I thought it forced you home. When I got all caught up with the time line and you weren't there... I didn't know _what_ happened."

"It's alright," she replied softly, hugging her arms around herself. "It was scary and hard at first. I didn't even get to say goodbye to anyone. But it turned out to be the greatest thing that ever happened to me."

Inuyasha watched her stare wistfully at the stars with a sad smile, a bittersweet edge to her scent that was at once wholly familiar and entirely changed.

He cleared his throat and shifted his feet where he stood, slipping his hands into the pockets of the sleep pants he'd been lent for the night.

"So... married, huh?"

Her eyelids slid slowly shut and her smile grew wider and sadder, a thin, silvery tear snaking down her cheek.

"Yeah."

"How long?"

"We were married something like 200 years ago I think, but we'd been together 400 all together."

"Damn. That's a long ass time. I'm... I'm really sorry about what happened. I'm still not that great with this kind of thing but... I really am sorry Kagome."

She gave him a watery, tremulous smile and twisted at the sleeve of the pajama shirt she wore to keep her hands occupied. Before, when she'd been young, she would have hugged him for disregarding his own comfort to offer her some, but now she didn't know _what_ to do.

"I'm sorry too Inuyasha. Shippo _and_ Sesshomaru? I don't even know what to say."

He stared down at his feet, concentrating on the rhythmic pull of air in and out of his lungs. There was a time in his life where he would have ripped his own arm off before he admitted that his brother meant anything to him, or the Fox runt for that matter, but 500 years was a long time, and he and his brother had worked together almost that whole time to ensure the survival of youkai, and had actually managed to forge a true, brotherly bond. And then he'd practically raised Shippo. They didn't call each other father and son, but it was in the background for sure. No matter what things, good or bad, had come in and out of their lives, they'd always had each other.

He was genuinely broken up, he wouldn't deny it, but he still could only do so much to show it.

"I raised him, ya know? Shippo? After you left, Shippo stayed with me. No matter what happened or where I went, I always had shippo. Shippo was... Shippo was _mine_ Kagome. He's... he's never called me dad but... but the squirrelly little bastard was mine all the same."

She gasped at the tears that ran freely down his face and suddenly 500 years didn't seem so cavernous after all. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms gingerly around him. He stiffened, and then crumbled, sweeping her closer and crying into her hair.

She wrapped her aura around him, washing it over him in warm, soothing waves that helped calm his gasping sobs.

"I'm so sorry Inuyasha. So, so sorry. You should never have had to lose him like that. Either of them."

He stepped back and pressed the heels of his palms into his eyes.

"God's this is embarrassing. 500 years apart and I the first thing I do is blubber like a damn idiot."

"Stop it Inuyasha. This isn't exactly a very normal situation. We've _all_ just lost a whole lot of people out of nowhere. _No one_ is really holding it together. No one expects that, not even from big had Hanyou like you."

He stared at her for a moment, decided she was right, as usual, and that he was glad she could still somehow see passed his defenses. He nodded, and a strangled moan from inside her room startled them both.

"Oh! That's Thor, I think he's having a nightmare. I should probably go."

"They didn't give him his own extra large, way-too-fancy, super luxe bedroom like the rest of us got?"

She giggled, though the sound of it was spare and thin.

"They did, but he couldn't sleep alone. He's on my couch. Anyway, tomorrow is going to come _way_ too soon. But Inuyasha? I'm glad you're back. Wish the circumstances were different but... I'm glad."

He hopped back up on her railing, prepared to launch himself back up to his own balcony.

"Yeah wench. Me too."

Kagome closed the door behind her and padded across the room to the plush couch that Thor had curled up on. He had the blanket from his own bed cocooned tightly around him, looking warm and cozy, but his sleep was fitful and disturbed. Kagome's heart clenched at the sight of his wet lashes, evidence he'd been crying even in his sleep.

"Oh, Thor." She sighed, kneeling next to the couch and leaning over to lay her head against the cushion, then grabbed his hand with her own, lacing her fingers between his. Her back would no doubt be a mess the next morning, but her brother needed her, she needed him, and she simply couldn't face the specter of loneliness that had taken up so much space in the large bed.

As sleep finally came to claim her, she wrapped her aura around her and Thor in a soothing, calming embrace, and drifted into oblivion.

——————

They were the first to the breakfast table.

Thor had immediately started crying again when he'd found her sleeping next to him, holding his hand, comforting him despite her own pain. He bowed his head and she scratched his scalp, quietly letting him release his pain in the one way she knew he'd refuse once they left their little sanctuary of misery, allowing her own tears to fall again despite feeling so drained and stretched by the grief.

When he'd found the strength to dry his eyes and stand, he waited while she changed into the clothes on loan from the Wakandan royal family while he phased into his own usual attire, and then he smiled gratefully when she grabbed his hand and led him to down the halls to the place they'd been instructed to have their morning meeting.

They took a seat next to each other at a long table that had been laid out with some simple, local breakfast foods, and they forced themselves to eat a few bites despite still reluctant appetites. Inuyasha came in next, taking a seat across from Kagome, and then the rest of the group filtered in and introductions were completed. Okoye, one of the famed members of the all female warrior team the Dora Milaje that Kagome found absolutely fascinating, informed them that the queen would not be joining them. Kagome couldn't blame her, she'd lost _both_ of her children to Thanos when he'd snapped his fingers in that gauntlet, and this was her home already, she had no need to join them in trying to decide which pieces could be picked up and put back together.

Glancing around at ashen faces with tired, sunken eyes, she figured she could do a little something to lighten the load they already carried so that carrying on didn't seem so burdensome to start with.

She allowed her aura to swell out around her and the rest of the harried members around the table, wrapping them all in the same warm, soothing waves she and Thor had found enough peace to sleep in last night.

A few tears fell, but she alone could see some of the frayed ends of their souls becoming less jagged and raw.

"What's Uh..." Steve started, clearing his throat and wiping at his eyes, the relief he was feeling surround him like a solid embrace overwhelming him for a moment. "Who's doing that?" The feeling suddenly cushioning the room was unmistakeable, and he'd been up to this superhero nonsense long enough to know when something wasn't a coincidence, but a display of power.

"Kagome." Inuyasha replied, a little stunned. Though it had been a very long time, and her aura had sustained some significant changes, he'd still recognize the way it felt anywhere.

They looked to her, shocked and awed and grateful, and she blushed before looking down at the table and shrugging.

"No big deal, really."

"Nonsense, my sister's heart and soul are bigger and more powerful than anyone else I've ever known. She is our goddess of truth, purity and sacrifice, after all."

"Thor, please..." she hissed, cutting him a look, but he stared sternly back.

"Our people are decimated Kagome, and you and I are nearly all that remains of our divine order. I know you are modest but you should be proud."

"Goddess?!" Inuyasha gawped with wide, shocked eyes, "so that's what's so different about you. Holy shit wench! How did _that_ happen?!"

Her face flamed red in embarrassment but Thor was right, there was no need to be anything but proud. She smiled sadly then, remembering the whole reason she'd been granted her token amount of divinity in the first place.

"Just a Demi-goddess, and _barely_." She began, picking little bits off of the paper napkin next to her plate. "Asgard accepted me into the fold when I married Loki, and gave me enough of her energy to connect me with the rest of the Asgardians."

"Wait... you married a _god_?!"

She smiled softly, sadly in the face of Inuyasha's astonishment, keenly feeling all the spaces in her heart that had been left empty and painful.

"Yes. Loki was the God of Mischief, Chaos, Stories and Lies."

"Goddess of Truth and God of Lies. Don't you think that's a little heavy handed on the symbolism?"

She glanced over at the man who'd introduced himself as Bruce, her expression frosting over a little.

"No. Just heavy on the love and devotion. But we aren't here to talk about my dead husband, so..."

"She's right, we're here to figure out what we're supposed to do now that... now that Thanos managed to do.. whatever it was he did."

Kagome shot Steve a grateful look and he nodded, effectively ending the horrid game of 20 questions she'd been enduring. She slumped down in her chair, leaned her head against Thor's shoulder, and listened passively, content to go along with whatever was decided if it meant not having to scrape up the energy to do much more.

Everything just seemed so heavy.


	60. Chapter59

Lokag 59

_A.N.:I'm gonna be real with y'all, I did not have any desire to research time zone differences to make this chapter more realistic so just... squint and roll with it lmao_

They were offered a few more days of rest and recuperation, which they gladly accepted, and then two slow, grief hazed days later, they were offered a ship to fly home on. The stately Queen of Wakanda came to see them off, and though you could see the weight of the loss of her children on her shoulders, she carried herself with all the grace of a dignitary.

Thor wrapped Kagome's arm around his and approached respectfully, bowing slightly, and Kagome followed his lead, a little confused as to why he'd pulled her along.

"I am Thor, King of Asgard, and this is my sister, Kagome, Queen of Asgard, and we extend our thanks for your hospitality."

The Wakandan queen nodded back while Kagome's spine straightened with tension. They returned to their group and she bristled to find Inuyasha staring at her, eyes wide in disbelief.

"So, not only are you a goddess now, you're a _queen_?!"

"No." She denied firmly and swiftly, rounding on Thor who met her fiery glare with his own, stern and unyielding.

"Yes." He replied, arms crossed, stance wide, ready to go head to head with the only person he'd ever met who could match his stubbornness.

"We did not discuss that. You can't just-"

"_Who else_ is going to be queen of the remaining Asgardians Kagome? Mother is dead!"

She flinched at the reminder of the murder of her surrogate mother, but firmed her resolve against taking on such power and influence.

"If you're king then the role of queen is supposed to go to your wife, that's how it works, and I'm not-"

"Who am I supposed to make my wife, Kagome?" Thor asked with a sad, resigned sigh. "Jane left me, and Sif is dead. We are all that's left of the royal family, you have already been queen once, our people love you, and they are scared and... I need your help."

Every other protest she had singed to ash in her mouth at the defeated look on his face, his bruised aura, the sag in his shoulders, and she felt shamed for trying to force what was left of her broken family into doing something so big on his own right now. She also knew how hard it was for Thor to admit he couldn't do something on his own. He was struggling as badly as the rest of them, and she would not abandon him.

"Okay. Okay you're right. I'm sorry, I'll help you. De-facto Queen... for now."

Some of the stress in the lines of his face softened and he hung his head in relief.

"Thank you, sister."

"This is very sweet and all, but can we get on the road please?" Bruce interrupted, and quiet fell over the group again as they shuffled into the ship and took their seats, allowing themselves to be strapped in by the attendant and readied for take off.

———————

Kagome didn't breath easily again until their ship touched down and the engine clicked off.

She released a sigh that unclenched all of her muscles and pried her fingernails out of the arm rests, slumping in her seat to wait for the doors to open. She glanced around, noticed everyone staring at her uncomfortably and winced. Her aura had been all over the place and had probably set everyone on edge, but she'd had no way to gauge just how awful flying like that would be.

'_I've never even been on a regular airplane and that giant space ship Thanos used never felt like it was moving. That was TERRIBLE.'_

She shook herself a little to rid herself of the lingering dread and motion sickness and hurried off the ship and onto the blessed, blessed ground. Their destination sat large and square and grey in front of her, a far cry from the lush palace of Wakanda, but upon entering it was made apparent that Avengers Compound housed the type of technology she used to read about in science fiction books. She scarcely blinked, following slowly as Natasha led them through the compound.

A frantic blonde woman rushed out with tear soaked eyes, looking desperately at all there faces before turning panicked to Natasha who grasped her shoulders to hold her steady.

"Tony?" Was all she asked, a broken whisper that squeezed at Kagome's heart.

"We don't know Pepper, he wasn't with us when... when it happened." Steve answered, and Pepper's face fell as a fresh wave of tears washed down her face.

She swallowed and nodded and then gestured for them all to follow her deeper into the compound, stopping at a room with a long table and chairs. They were seated and in short order they were all given mugs of steaming coffee. Kagome noted with interest that Thor seemed to know exactly what it was, but she hadn't had coffee in literal ages. She sipped it slowly and sighed as it leached through and warmed up every inner corner of her body.

"What now?" Pepper broke the silence which was still thick with grief, uncertainty and guilt. Steve shrugged and slumped back in his chair and then Pepper started when she noticed the new members of their party.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry, I didn't even realize there were new people..."

"It's alright, circumstances aren't exactly normal. I'm Kagome, Thor's sister. This is Inuyasha, an old friend, and that's Rocket, he came with Thor."

"Oh, I didn't know you had a sister, Thor. Anyway, everything here is in working order, whatever you need, you know where it is. And I'll be... I'll be around."

They remained quiet as Pepper shuffled out, understanding her need to be alone, and then the silence stayed thick and impenetrable between them, the choke hold it had over them unbreakable, their grief leaving them too tired to try.

There was so much to be done, so many messes to clean and fires to put out; they were needed now more than ever, even if they'd failed to stop the worst enemy they'd ever faced.

He didn't destroy the _whole_ world after all.

"Hey Kagome?" Inuyasha asked softly, meeting Kagome's weary eyes from where he sat next to her.

"Are you Uh, you gonna go home now?"

Her brow furrowed and a lone tear trailed down her cheek, and Inuyasha silently cursed himself for asking.

"And how will I do that? I don't have a home anymore. It's been destroyed. Asgard is... _gone_."

"No no, not Asgard. I meant... I meant Tokyo. You know, the shrine?"

Her eyes widened and then her gaze dropped to the table top.

"Oh. I didn't even... I didn't even think about... how would I even get there? I don't have a passport, or an ID... or money..."

"We can get you there, but will you come back?" Steve asked, and Kagome was taken back for a second, blinking in confusion at his request. "You said you'd spent quite a bit of time as Thanos's captive. We could really use your help finding him. Any information you have would be invaluable."

"Steve is right, we could really use you." Natasha added, and Kagome looked back down at the table to consider. They made a good point, and they absolutely did need to find him. He still had the stones, and since he'd already caused such damage with them there was no telling what else he might try to do.

"Of course. I'd be happy to help. Just give me a few days to make sure my family is alright, help whoever is left. I'll be back."

"Thank you, Kagome. I'll get you all some phones, a ship, everything you need." Natasha said as she left the table, and Kagome turned back to Thor who had remained pensive and silent, his aura cooling with distaste at the way things had turned.

"You're coming with me, right?" She asked, and he met her eyes with a look of surprise that would have hurt had the situation been different.

"Why so shocked? If I'm going to make sure my family is safe of course I want my _whole_ family there, Thor."

His blue eyes wavered with shaky relief and his jaw unclenched. He nodded once and she gave him a tremulous smile.

"We'll check in with them, and then check in on the Asgardians, okay? Together."

—————————

Another stomach turning ride in a much smaller but still way too-fast ship had them touching down on the grass in her old front yard in record time. She'd squeezed Thor's fingers the whole way, causing him to wince in surprise pain and Inuyasha to chuckle under his breath. She'd tried to distract herself with the new phone Natasha had given her after helping her set it up and link it with the matching one she'd given Thor as Inuyasha already had a phone, but trying to navigate the advanced technology made her motion sickness worse. It was no use comparing it at all to the types of phones that had been available the last time she'd been to Earth as a young girl, technology had come so far she may as well be referencing the Stone Age.

She'd put it away and closed her eyes and breathed around the roiling in her stomach, and now she had to stop herself from dropping to her knees and kissing the grass.

Instead, she looked slowly around at the place she'd been a child, the place she'd called home when she'd still been human, a young girl with an impossible mission and impossible dreams. She felt a very distant tug of recognition in her heart. It may not exactly be home anymore, but she still remembered when it had felt that way.

The door of the house slid open and a grown man stumbled out with wide, wild eyes, firmly gripping a bow knocked with an arrow. He dropped it at the sight of her and her companions, taking a slow step back and shaking his head in disbelief.

Kagome tilted her head, looking over his face, his form, trying to place him, not recognizing him, wondering if her family hadn't moved and sold the house to someone else.

"Kagome?" He spoke, hesitant and stunned and she nodded in answer.

"Hey kid. Good to see you."

They man's eyes snapped over and the confusion cleared.

"Inuyasha. So it's true, you found her."

"Sort of. Is... is your mom here?"

"Oh my gods. Mom, mom!" He dashed inside, leaving them behind, and Inuyasha stepped toward the house to follow him. Kagome grabbed his wrist and he stopped, turning and wincing at the lost look on her face.

"Shit. I should have figured you wouldn't recognize him. He was just a kid when you disappeared. That's your little brother."

"That's... that's _Souta_!? Oh... I've been gone a very long time."

Then, Souta stepped back out of the house followed by an older woman who's greying hair had been brushed back into a bun at the nape of her neck.

Kagome met the eyes of the woman who was obviously her mother, though older, with more lines around her mouth and eyes, a woman she never thought to ever see again. Nerves erupted and fluttered like butterflies in her belly and she smiled uncertainly.

Her mother choked out a sob and ran across the space between them in the grass, gathering her in a bone crushing hug.

"Oh Kagome, it's you! Oh it's really you!"

She embraced her mother back, dumbfounded and numb from too many emotional upheavals in less than a week, following silently as her mother led them all into the house with tears and fluttering hands.

Frantically, in an attempt to ground herself, scrabbling for some familiarity and security, she reached over and grabbed Thor's hand. He gave her fingers a squeeze, smiled a small but reassuring smile, and walked with her inside.


	61. Chapter60

**Events in this chapter are synced with events in the movie Avengers: Endgame**

Rocketing back to Avenger's Compound was slightly less brutal to Kagome's stomach than her last trips in the fast moving ship.

Apparently she was getting used to the feeling.

'_Either that or I'm too tired to notice anymore.'_

Since being forced back to Earth, there had been almost no time to rest since leaving Wakanda, and she'd hopped from one emotional upheaval to the next.

Reuniting with her human family had been a strange mix of things, a lot of which left her feeling guilty and uncomfortable.

She was certainly glad to see them, even if they did feel a lot like strangers now.

500 years was a long time to live apart from someone. She'd never expected to see them again, so she'd mourned their loss and done her best to move on and now that they were back, it was proving to be a process to feel totally comfortable around them again, to not feel like she had to revert back to who she was the last time she'd lived with them so _they_ wouldn't feel uncomfortable around _her_. She could tell it hurt her mother that there was some distance between them, that she hadn't been able to slip right back into the role of beloved daughter, and that made her feel bad, but there was just_ so much_ going on.

She felt a little guilty that getting comfortable with Inuyasha again took much less effort than feeling back at home with her family, but there were almost no expectations there, no old standards to uphold. He'd lived through the last 500 years as well, knew how much growing and changing took place. They were both different people and he could understand that in a way her family didn't and that made all the difference.

She also felt guilty for Thor. It seemed cruel that he should lose everyone in his family save for her and then watch her get her long lost family back, and even though he assured her he didn't hold any ill feelings because of it, she still felt uneasy.

Maybe she just needed some time to process everything. She'd just lost too much, had too much to try and grieve and sort out before she could be alright feeling too happy or relieved.

It was easier with the Asgardians.

There were precious few of them left, and they'd been so happy and relieved to see her, and miraculously her old friend Dala had made it through everything. Their tearful reunion had been a blessed balm on both their souls, as Dala's husband and two of their children had been lost to Thanos when he'd attacked their escape ship. She was so thankful Dala hadn't lost her youngest child, who was still barely more than a toddler, to the stones.

They'd worked tirelessly over their two days there getting everyone else settled into homes in a little coastal village that was a far cry from the sparkling shores of Asgard, but was safe and solid regardless. Inuyasha had come with them and had proved invaluable with his demon strength and stamina. Thor was still reluctant to trust him and could be distant and a little frosty, but Inuyasha simply gave him space and another set of hands and they'd come to an understanding.

It was yet another thing to get used too, the way her past and present were colliding.

But now was not the time, as they still had much to do. They were all three back on their way to the United States to meet up with the Avengers and begin tracking down Thanos.

Kagome sighed, letting everything that had happened over the last few days roll through her mind again. She looked over at Thor occupying the seat next to her and frowned at the blank look on his face.

"Thor?"

He glanced over at her, and despite the emotionless mask he wore she could feel the weariness in his aura.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to help save more of our people. By the time Thanos came for the tesseract, he was barely letting me out of my room... I had no idea he was even targeting you."

Thor closed his eyes and dropped his head. He took a moment to collect himself, to control his still wildly fluctuating emotions and then looked back up at his sister with a sad but thankful smile.

"You know Loki is the only reason we got away with as many people as we did."

Kagome's eyes widened and her heart stuttered for a moment. She pressed a hand to her chest and swallowed the knot that formed in her throat. There still hadn't been time to really hash out every last thing that had happened, and she was so desperate to hear more about her lost husband, but also so desperately afraid it would just break her further.

"What did he do?"

"When I left Sakaar, I was certain I would never see him again, or at least, not for a while. He was looking for you, you know. I kept accidentally ruining his plans, but everything he'd done since the moment he discovered you weren't on Svartlfheim was to get beck to you. I had hoped... but I was still surprised when he showed up on Asgard with an enormous ship to evacuate everyone away from Hela. If it wasn't for him... I don't know if _any_ of Asgard would remain. I'm... I'm sorry I couldn't keep him alive just a little longer. I could have brought him back to you." His voice broke and tears fell down both their faces. She reached over and clasped his hand, then leaned her head back against her seat. She squeezed her eyes closed and clutched her locket with her other hand, breathing out a shaky sigh.

He _had_ been looking for her. He'd been let out of his prison, he'd been told she was missing. He'd worked hard to find her and bring her back. He'd died because he'd gone back to help his brother save their home.

She felt so much lighter, so much freer, knowing he hadn't been left in the dark, had known she hadn't abandoned him, and she was so proud that he'd chosen to protect their home and their people.

She felt the edges of unconsciousness creep up and decided not to fight it. They still had a good hour or so until they arrived and she could use the nap.

"Thank you Thor. Thank you."

—————————-

Life at Avengers Compound was busy, but it was the type of busy that Kagome, and probably the rest of them, desperately needed. They were anchored in one place, which gave their minds and bodies a chance to actually adjust to some of the things they had experienced, but there was a lot to do, so they had a distraction if they needed it.

And they absolutely needed it.

The carnage that had been wrought by the Stones was incalculable.

Not only were seemingly half of the people gone, but have of the birds, bugs, fish, dogs, cats... anything that breathed, half of it was gone. The world was blanketed by an eery quiet and an apocalyptic emptiness that kept them all inside as much as possible.

Which came with its own strange tenseness that Kagome could feel was largely centered around her.

Inuyasha had been enveloped into the fold just fine; he impressed with his demonic abilities and provided an excellent sparring partner for a bunch of supped up super heroes, and even Rocket, the Raccoon with the rancid attitude was treated with camaraderie.

But aside from her friendly rapport with Inuyasha and Thor, the rest of them seemed a little wary around her.

She had a feeling she knew what the problem was.

'_Not only was I married to someone they only know as a villain, but I also technically worked for Thanos for a while, too, just like Loki did. Well, if we're going to work together to bring Thanos down and get the stones back, then we'll all need to be much more friendly than we are.'_

She spent a morning working with the very helpful operating system that ran the compound and made a little ice breaking presentation that she hoped would help put their angst about her to rest.

After lunch they obliged her request to file into one of the meeting rooms, sitting around the table and facing the glass screen she stood quietly in front of, waiting awkwardly for whatever it was she wanted to say.

With the little remote she held, she clicked on the screen behind her, and several images of Loki in New York that she'd found on the internet, a wild place she'd only just barely begun stepping into, flickered into life and she watched as certain members of her little party winced a little.

'_Bingo. I was right.'_

Kagome turned and ran her eyes over each picture, over the unfamiliar expressions darkening Loki's face, and the tell-tale sign that Thanos had, indeed, been telling the truth about his torture and mind control.

She straightened her spine and gestured at the photos.

"This is not my husband."

Confused auras and shifty looks spread across the table, even Thor sitting up a little straighter than he was before, curious as to where she was taking this.

"None of you here save Thor really knew him so I doubt you would notice, so if my dear brother would please take a closer look at these photos and tell me what he sees? That would be very helpful."

Thor stared at her for a moment before nodding once, and she enlarged one of the close ups of Loki's face. She knew the moment Thor realized what it was she was asking, the dawning look of horror and understanding on his face was unmistakable.

"His eyes..."

"Yes. His eyes. What color are they here?"

"They're blue..."

"And that's wrong because..."

"Loki has _green_ eyes. But... what does this mean Kagome?"

"When I was Thanos's prisoner, he told me he'd found Loki. After his 'accident' on the bifrost, he landed right in front of Thanos's ship. Thanos took him and used the mind stone to torture and control him. Earth had an infinity stone, you see. He made _Loki_ go after it."

Thor knew immediately what Kagome meant by "accident on the bifrost" and a fresh wave of sadness washed over him.

Loki hadn't had an "accident" on the bifrost, he'd thrown himself off of it entirely.

It hadn't killed him like he thought it would. But instead of going off to conquer a defenseless planet like they'd all believed, everyone save Kagome, he'd been made an unwilling pawn for the universe's biggest evil.

He sat back again with a defeated slump.

"That's what Barton's eyes looked like after he'd been possessed by the scepter. Why didn't we notice that Loki's eyes were glowing too?" Natasha asked, and Kagome noticed the immediate shift in her aura from wary and unsure to curious and investigative. She may have a new friend here yet.

"Well you didn't know what his eyes looked like before. But I knew."

"You don't stare into someone's eyes for 400 years and not notice when they've changed."

Inuyasha spoke for the first time, and Kagome gave him a small, grateful smile.

"Exactly. Now back to my point. This was not my husband. _This_ was."

The pictures changed to her wedding portrait, the one she'd memorized every last inch of. It had been no trouble getting it copied from her necklace thanks to the hyper advanced technology in the compound, and it eased some of her tension to watch Loki's face change from a dark sneer to his relaxed, proud, dignified smile.

Thor choked up a little, and she nodded as he wiped some moisture from his eyes and met her gaze. A small gesture of forgiveness for the fact that, while the Avengers had no basis for noticing such a change in Loki, as his brother, _he_ should have noticed.

Kagome turned to Inuyasha who had stood up and crossed to the screen for a closer look.

"Woah... is that...?"

"An Uchikake? Yes. He surprised me." She smiled softly at the rest of the Avengers who she could tell didn't quite know what to make of her little speech.

"I'm not trying to excuse him or absolve him of anything in your mind. I'm certainly not trying to make you like him. Truthfully I think he'd enjoy it immensely to know you all dislike him so much, he loved to be disliked. The purpose of this little display was to assure you that I was not married to a homicidal maniac, and that I am not a homicidal maniac myself. So if you could all _stop being so damn weird_, then that would be great."

She clicked off the screen and the change in atmosphere was immediate. She grinned and sighed, feeling much more comfortable with their more relaxed auras and ready to get back to their previous work and distract herself away from talk of Loki and her rapidly darkening mood.

But her goal had been more than achieved with her little PowerPoint, and things between she and the Avengers morphed into true friendship, and this time she found her grief at losing Loki much less of a weight with so many others around and no one pretending that nothing was wrong.

There were no feasts, no parties or celebrations, just a menagerie of people all walking their own paths of grief and it colored everything they did.

They scanned relentlessly for evidence of Thanos moving through the cosmos, and since all the technology went right over her head she trained with the bow she'd brought from the shrine and demonstrated her shields, barriers and healing abilities, dusting off all of the skills she'd put away for safe keeping from Thanos.

Inuyasha's Tessaiga was especially popular, and when he wasn't putting himself through his paces with it, he allowed Bruce to poke around on it and examine its inherent energies in his lab.

She got used to texting and used it to communicate with her mother over the time difference, assuring her that she'd be back again just as soon as they figured out what to do with the biggest threat that the universe had ever known, and allowed herself to slip into the busy, comfortable rhythm of things in the compound. It did her sore heart good to not have any surprises for a while, to not be isolated from people she cared about, to not have to always be anticipating death or destruction, and for a short while, things seemed almost like they'd found a steady groove she could function in for a time, and then another wrench was thrown in the status quo.

The sensor alarms on the security system blared a shrill warning about the arrival of an unmarked, unanticipated visitor.

They all rushed outside, nerves fraught and muscles tense to watch the ship land in the grass and they held their breath as the door opened and two beings stepped out, thin, bedraggled and tired.

"Nebula?!" Kagome rushed forward with Steve and Pepper, who immediately took over helping a man she'd never met but recognized from some of the computer files as Tony Stark, the man Pepper had been hoping hadn't been lost to the Stones. Once they had him off the ship ramp and headed inside, Kagome launched herself at Nebula, surprising her with a tight embrace.

Nebula hesitated, and then wrapped her arms around Kagome's back, startled by the unexpected affection and the feel of her shaking in her arms.

"Oh Nebula, you're _alive_! I can't believe this! I can't believe you're here!"

Kagome pulled away and grabbed Nebula's hand to pull her inside after the rest of the group, ignoring her fresh tears.

"I'm so glad Neb. So so glad. I thought I'd never see you again! How did you even end up back here?"

"It is a long story. I ended up with Gamora and the people she abandoned us for. You would be glad to know we reconciled before... before Thanos killed her."

Kagome stopped with a horrified gasp and tears began burning her eyes.

Realistically she'd known that Gamora was likely dead. The odds of her escaping the power of the Stones were minimal, after all.

But that Thanos had killed her himself, his favorite daughter? His darkness had truly known no bounds.

She squeezed Nebula's hand and led her inside.

—————-

Things went from weird to bad to worse, leading a weak, distressed Tony to collapse onto the floor. His aura had been so battered and bruised with hurt and guilt and loss and it called to her and her compassion.

She left Thor with a stern warning not to leave her behind if they went after Thanos that night, but she left the rest of the group to hammer out the details with the other newcomer Carol and tracked down the room they'd placed Tony in to recuperate.

Unsurprisingly, she found Pepper by his side. The poor woman's face was pale and wane, resting on the mattress of Tony's bed.

She knocked lightly on the doorframe and Pepper's eyes slid open and she sat up from the worried slump she'd been in before.

"Oh, Kagome! I'm sorry, I didn't see you."

Kagome waved off her attempt to stand and stepped into the room, walking to Tony's side. She took in his emaciated form and the nodes and wires and tubes working to return his strength and health.

Unconscious, his aura was quieter, repressed, but she could still feel the way it churned darkly, and the state of his body was not helping his mind and heart to heal any faster.

"I'm glad he's been returned to you, Pepper. I know how worried you were."

Pepper closed her eyes again, a tear falling down her face as she sighed out weeks of fear and tension.

"There so much relief and worry all of a sudden I don't know what to do with it. I'd hoped for this, but after so much time I assumed... its like he's back from the dead."

Her words hit Kagome in a way she couldn't describe.

'_Like he's back from the dead. I get it.'_

She certainly knew what that felt like.

"Would it be okay if I try something? My powers have healing abilities."

"Of course! Thank you Kagome."

She smiled in thanks, and Pepper sat back trustingly. She brought her reiki to the surface of her hands and eased it gently over and into Tony's skin, through his veins and bones and blood, prompting it to leave strength, vitality, and a little bit of hope.

The readings on the many monitors shifted, adjusting a little, reading a little more stable, so Kagome withdrew her power and smiled at Pepper who stared at the readings with awe.

"I don't dare do too much too soon, reiki can be overwhelming and I don't exactly have regular reiki anymore, I don't want to do more harm than good. But after a little rest I can do some more."

With a fresh wash of tears, Pepper walked quickly around the bed and crushed Kagome close, sobbing into her shoulder.

"No, _thank you_. Thank you. This is already more than I dared hope for."

She squeezed her back and excused herself to go catch back up with the others, leaving Pepper to her bedside vigil once more.

———————-

With her troubled heart keeping sleep at bay, Kagome tossed and turned to find a measure of comfort in her bed.

Having to travel into space again, see Thanos again, have him look on her and speak to her as the divine gift he'd always thought she was had been revolting, and her skin was still crawling.

The crushing blow of finding the stones completely gone and unusable had been the poison icing on the whole shit cake.

She was glad Thor had gotten the chance to hack his head off for whatever closure he thought it might give him, but the whole excursion had left them even more listless and hopeless than before.

But something else prickled at her heart, kept her awake.

_'It's like he's back from the dead._'

She'd known what pepper had Meant, and had, in fact, been in that position before when it turned out Loki hadn't died when he'd fallen off the bifrost.

But right now, those words were speaking a different message.

'_Back from the dead. Back from the dead. Back from the dead.'_

Round and round and round those words circled in her head, clanging around, demanding to be heard, refusing to be ignored.

'_Back from the dead. Back from the dead_.'

They forcibly dug up ancient memories, dusting off the cobwebs of long retired feelings, pushing them back into the light.

'_Back from the dead.'_

They glowed a suspicious pink, a familiar pink, a sign that got her attention, made her look and listen closely.

A name.

A name that had died so long ago.

A name she rarely said anymore, a name that something inside urged her to speak now.

'_Kikyo_.'

She stared blankly at the ceiling of her room as that name began flitting around her brain with Pepper's words, and something tantalizing and forbidden tickled at the back of her mind.

'_Kikyo, Kikyo, back from the dead, back from the dead, back from the dead.' _

Many voices spoke at once in her head, a multi-voice she'd heard before.

'_The jewel. I was going to use the jewel... to bring Kikyo... back from the dead...'_

She gasped and sat up, triggering the in-room computer system to light up the clock on her wall. She stared at the neon numbers unseeing as several parts of her began fighting all at once.

'_Loki. I can bring him back_.'

Her hands clasped over her mouth to stifle her sob.

'_But I cant do that, I can't use the jewel that way.'_

Her heart broke again as she crushed her own hope under her own heel.

'_Why not?'_

She stopped.

Yeah, why not? It would be selfish.

_'...you will not unravel for one moment of self indulgence.'_

How many times had Loki taught her that, that she was entitled to take things for herself sometimes? That the world would not stop spinning because she didn't constantly give all of herself all the time and indulge in a little selfishness once in a while.

'_But the jewel is unreliable. I can't trust that it will do what I want it to do. It had a will of its own...' _she thought rationally.

'_Your will is mine, my will is yours.'_

Her eyes widened and everything stopped; her heart, her breath, her thoughts all snuffed out between one second and the next.

'_We ARE you.'_

'_**OH**_.'

She was the jewel, the jewel was her. She wasn't just guarding it, she... she _was_ it.

This power was hers.

She could do with it what she wanted.

'_And what I want... is Loki.'_

She fell back into her mattress, suddenly feeling all 500 of her years. She closed her eyes and began falling into unconsciousness.

She had much to ponder, but a road began to carve itself out of the murky mire of helpless grief.

She has a path, she had a plan.

Her work would begin with the sunrise.


	62. Chapter61

_A.N.: This chapter will cover the first two years of time after the The Snap. Each scene/segment is spread over the months of its assigned year. _

**1 Year Post Snap.**

The sky had only just started to lighten from blue-black to the watercolor violets of early dawn when Kagome crept from her old bedroom and tip toed across the shrine and into the old well house. This had become a daily ritual for her, escaping from the house before any other living soul on the shrine was awake to spend some time meditating.

She slid the door open just enough to allow her to slip inside and closed it completely behind her, then took a seat on top of the heavy wood cover placed over the well opening.

She closed her eyes and cleared her mind, pushing her awareness deep down into the inner well inside her full of the Jewel's power.

_Her_ power.

She couldn't believe she'd never realized it before, that she'd subconsciously sealed off the power left behind when the jewel had dissolved within her, but once their mission to find and kill Thanos and retrieve the stones had only managed to be half successful and she'd entertained those tantalizing thoughts of resurrection, Kagome had immediately set to testing and stretching her powers to find that ability within her. She didn't find it in her reiki, and didn't find it in the pocket of divinity granted to her by Asgard either, though that was another aspect of her power she'd neglected to explore.

She found it _underneath _those powers, sealed off and untouched.

Unlike what she'd previously thought, her unnaturally large stores reiki had _not_ been a consequence of her fusing with the Shikon no Tama, they had been with her since birth, but largely untapped until she'd received proper training.

She hadn't been using the jewels abilities at all.

So she'd begun familiarizing herself with them, peeling back the seal she'd placed over them a little at a time and getting to know them.

Considering the Jewel's origin and birth from the soul of a miko, there was a lot about this power that felt familiar, but the echoes of Youki from the demons Midoriko had trapped inside the jewel with her were new and would take some finessing and finagling. The blending of reiki and youki in this power made it something wholly new and the whispers of potential she could feel from just the small tendrils she'd allowed free were a bit overwhelming, but she was determined to get control of it, to learn to bend it to her will.

She stuffed it all back down under her seal, and then looked at the core of divinity she now possessed.

It was completely different from both the Jewel's power and her inherent purity, and she chastised herself not for the first time for ignoring this obvious gift for what it was. She'd been too reluctant to be made more powerful and influential than she already was, too squeamish about making herself more than she thought she should be, about being selfish and taking more than she needed.

'_Foolish thoughts of a foolish girl. I should have gotten a handle on this long ago.'_

The power from Asgard felt a lot like home, encapsulated with the energies that used to vibrate around the whole of the planet she'd spent so much of her life on.

Her heart squeezed a little at the knowledge that that beautiful place was gone, but she continued her perusal of the abilities that came from this little pocket of energy left behind.

This is where the influence of her granted aspect resided, and she was still awed by what she found within it.

Truth, purity, selfless sacrifice; these had been the aspects named to her by Odin on her wedding day, the things she'd have influence and say over, and it would be much easier than she'd have thought to tap into them.

They responded to her will and desire like her other powers, the only thing that would take work would be the limits of her reach.

And that exploration would come- later.

She could feel the souls of her family warming as they woke, signaling the arrival of morning. She pulled her consciousness away, leaving all the different powers as they were, separate and distinct, not yet ready to attempt blending them together, and made her way out of the Well house.

———————

"Are you sure you have to go again, and so soon?"

Kagome sighed and hugged her mother again, tired of having the same conversation with her but sympathetic to her feelings all the same.

"Yes mama. I can't stay away from them for too long, I'm their queen, and Thor is hurting, too. I can't leave him to try and rule all on his own."

Her mother patted her cheek with an understanding smile and then retrieved the pack of foods and snacks she made up to send with her.

"I know dear, you have many responsibilities. As much as I wish you were, you just aren't the young daughter that went missing so long ago. I should be thankful to have you back at all, and to still have your brother. So many weren't half so lucky."

Kagome took the pack of food filled with Thor's favorites from the brief moments he'd managed to spend here and smiled wryly at her mother's ability to fuss over anyone she brought home no matter how little time they spent there, but then she sighed again at her mother's words.

She really _had_ been lucky. Souta had lost his fiancé to the Stones, but Kimiko Higurashi had kept both of her children.

Kagome wondered if maybe it was because the Stones considered her Asgardian now, and more than half of the Asgardians had already been killed before the snap.

In any case, it had worked out in the favor of the Higurashi family.

"Yeah... lucky." The names and faces of all the people _she_ had lost scrolled through her mind and the word "lucky" felt sour in her mouth, but she shook it off when her phone chirped to alert her that her ride had arrived.

"Anyway, we better go, the ship is here."

Kimiko waved she and Inuyasha off at the door, and they quickly boarded the ship that the Avengers let them use whenever they needed it in return for the assistance they still gave them.

They gave the operating system their coordinates and braced themselves for the initial jolt of take off.

Soon enough the ride smoothed out, and Kagome glanced over at Inuyasha. His eyes were closed and his head tilted back, resting against the back of the seat. His features were smooth and at rest, carefully hiding the sad churning of his aura, a sadness that blanketed everything and everyone wherever she went.

She felt a little guilty that she hadn't attempted to really talk to him again in the weeks since they'd killed Thanos, but the disappointment of that mission had finally made them face their new, stark reality, and it had been a grim undertaking.

Things had been quiet and heavy as they'd grappled with feelings of failure, loss, disappointment, anger, a cocktail of misery that was proving very hard to swallow.

Inuyasha had moved into her grandfather's old room to avoid his now empty apartment and keep them all safe, but he'd been a silent presence ever since.

Maybe she should break that silence, she really should get to know her oldest friend again.

"Inuyasha?"

His eyes slitted open and slanted her way and she shifted in her seat, turning slightly towards him.

"I feel badly for not asking sooner, but... what have you heed doing the last 500 years?"

He smirked and she felt a little silly, but she shrugged, lost as to how else to broach any normalcy around the enormity of their present circumstances.

"A lot. Couple hundred years after Naraku was gone is when Sesshomaru and I finished burying the hatchet, then most of our time was spent trying to save demon-kind from extinction. That was a lot of boring diplomatic shit."

Kagome nodded and looked down at were her fingers idly picked at a loose thread in her arm rest.

"Did you ever get married?"

"Sure, couple of times."

She looked back up in shock, but he'd gone back to resting his head and closing his eyes, way too casual for such an admission in her opinion.

"Well to who?! What happened?"

"The first time was a girl in the village who's father approached me for a marriage arrangement. Apparently she liked me and convinced him I'd make a good husband. She was nice, we had a couple of kids, and they all grew old and passed on way before I did, obviously. The second time was to a human servant In Sesshomaru's palace. I pursued her that time, we didn't have any kids, but we were happy until she passed of old age too."

"Oh my. I'm so sorry Inuyasha... two wives and two kids." A tiny ball of orange fluff with big green eyes flashed through her memory and she swallowed down a fresh wave of pain.

"Three kids. I meant three."

He coughed and cleared his throat of the burning emotion that had gathered and opened his eyes to stare up at the ship's ceiling.

"Yeah. Thanks."

"It's too bad there isn't a way to make human partners of Youkai live longer."

"There is. I just didn't want to use it on either of my wives. Sango and Miroku didn't understand that the first time around, but it's a really big, permanent thing, and I wasn't going to do it to just anyone, you know?"

She nodded at that, mention of her long lost companions piquing her curiosity, and she finally felt ready to ask all the questions about them she hadn't had the guts to ask yet.

"Will you tell me about them? Their lives?"

Inuyasha met her eyes with a soft smile.

"Of course.

——————————————

**2 Years Post Snap**

Walking the roads of New Asgard had taken some getting used to.

Displaced Asgardians working to make their new home feel permanent and secure popped out of every door, alley and shadow to greet her, bow to her, ask her for a blessing or a nod or smile, and Kagome had forced herself to shake off her reluctance at being the recipient of such devotion.

'_They're just lost and they need someone they know to be a guidepost.' _

Thor was struggling, she knew that. The souls of so very many people rested on his shoulders and she knew he blamed himself for every single one of them no matter how hard he'd fought for them, and he was having a hell of a time clawing his way out from the weight of them to get back to the souls who still lived.

'_I wish I had more time to spend here.'_

She wished she had more time to spend _anywhere_. Her life was currently a three week cycle: a week at the shrine, a week in New Asgard, a week with the Avengers. There was just so much work to do, so many fires to put out that kept popping up thanks to their new reality, so much she needed to help with that flitting around three separate continents at lightening speed was an unchangeable circumstance for the time being.

It was exhausting.

Dala rounded a corner on the path she was on, and the tiny child on her hip lit and up and squirmed to be let down.

"Aunty Kagome!"

She stopped and let the sweet boy run for her. His golden curls bounced and glowed in the sun and his big brown eyes sparkled with a kind of happiness she only saw in children anymore. She scooped him up and squeezed him close.

"My darling! How are you?"

"Good! I missed you!"

"I missed you too. Have you been naughty for your mother?"

She bit her lip to stifle her giggles when his little chest poked out.

"No! I'm big and strong like king Thor and keep her safe!"

She placed him back on his feet and ruffled his hair as Dala caught up with them.

"Yes you are. Are you ready for your present?"

She handed him a box of Pocky and he happily sat at there feet and ate his prize while Kagome and Dala spoke quietly.

"How is he?"

"Our king is... not often around. We are growing more concerned."

"He's dealing with a lot, like the rest of us. I'm trying to help him as best I can."

"We know you are my lady, and we are so grateful."

"You'll never stop with the formality will you?"

An old spark of mischief flickered through Dala's gaze before the tired lines of life settled back in around her eyes.

"Old habits. Well, I must get this little one home, come by for dinner tonight, I will send you away with food to bring to his Majesty. I worry he's not eating well."

"Thank you Dala. I couldn't do any of this without you."

The house Thor shared with Korg, who was always a very polite, delightful being to be around, was small and sparsely furnished, but it was generally fairly clean.

'_They're like a couple of frat boys.'_

"Thor? I'm here!"

"Sister!"

Thor emerged from a back room and Kagome heart sank a little. His smile was large, and his aura bloomed a little brighter in his happiness at seeing her, but it was still so hurt and fractured, and his eyes were still dull.

'_He's put on a little weight, too. Wonder just how much he's cleaning up for my visits. Oh Thor, I'm so sorry.'_

She pushed her concern away for the time being and sat to enjoy the start of her time in New Asgard.

———————

"Ow! That hurts!"

"Because you won't stop moving."

"You're singeing my fur!"

"Because you won't stop moving! I _told_ you healing was my least developed ability and reiki can be caustic! _Hold still_!"

Rocket grumbled as Kagome did her best to concentrate and guide her reiki down into the festering gash on his side. He'd been injured on his latest mission and had fortunately returned during her designated week with the Avengers. While in the states at the compound, they took advantage of her healing powers and ability to sense truth and malice. Unsurprisingly in the wake of so many people disappearing, governments struggled and pockets of crime broke out. She and Inuyasha made it easier to detect ill intentions and sniff out trouble makers, and she could quickly repair cuts, gashes and other injuries to innocent civilians and their own team members.

Like now, sitting in a corner as she lit the room up with purity and the open slash in the surly raccoon's side slowly stitched closed while he continued to huff under his breath.

"Keep snarling flea bag, she'll purify you on purpose and you do _not_ want to be on the receiving end of that." Inuyasha snipped from his place on the other side of the room where he was updating files, and Rocket bared his teeth and his fur bristled.

"If I wanted your opinion dog breath, I'd ask for it!"

"Don't you have a dumpster to dive in somewhere?"

"Can you two at least _try_ to be civil for the five minutes you have to be in the same room? Some of us are actually working."

Natasha cut in, and Kagome rolled her eyes and ignored the continued arguing as she eyed her handiwork, a neat, clean line where the bloodied cut used to be. She cleaned up the dirty, blood soaked towels and washed her hands and left to find a quiet place to meditate before someone else needed her.


	63. Chapter62

3 years post snap.

Kagome heard the doorknob to the office she'd sequestered in squeak as it turned, pulling her partway out of her meditative trance. With little effort she read the aura on the other side of the door as belonging to Steve, so she knew she was in no danger.

He crept slowly inside and tried to slink along the wall to a storage bin, nerves pulsing around him as he did his best to remain small and quiet and not break her concentration.

'Too late.' She thought and fought off a little smirk as an idea took root. She knew how unsettling he found her when she meditated so deeply, and she didn't blame him, sifting through her energies tended to mess with the atmosphere of whatever room she was in. She usually went off on her own to spare everyone else, but as he'd decided to venture into her temporary territory, she would have a little fun.

As Steve quietly rummaged through the storage bin, Kagome released a few more tendrils of power, the Jewel's power specifically, as it was much more inherently dark than her reiki or divinity. She directed the wisps to brush against Steve's aura, and she noted with amusement that it bristled and he kicked up the pace of his searching.

"Captain."

At the sound of her voice, beginning to sound choral with the high levels of the jewel she was releasing, Steve's spine shot ramrod straight and he turned to face her with as blank a face as he could manage.

She cracked her eyes open, which she knew were glowing, and he flinched.

Grinning victoriously, Kagome tamped down her power display and hopped off the table she'd been using as a perch.

"Hey Cap. Looking for something?"

"Yeah," he rubbed at the back of his neck, not looking her in the eye which was unusual for the impeccably mannered avenger. Kagome grinned again at how hilariously uncomfortable he could still be around her from time to time. "Sorry, I didn't meant to interrupt you. I tried to be quiet."

"I heard you when you touched the doorknob. I may be in deep concentration, but I'm hyper aware of all of my surroundings. Now, what are you looking for?"

"That bag of spare sensors we're supposed to bring to Nebula. Nat said it was in one of the storage bins but I can't find it."

"Interesting that SHE didn't come get it if she knew where it was." Kagome replied, rifling through one of the unsearched bins and pulling out the bag of sensors.

"Come on Cap, lets go before we have to search all the broom closets for them and they make us late!"

—————-

With a little blonde boy skipping behind her, Kagome made her way down to the docks to greet Valkyrie and get up to date on the things that had happened while she'd been away the last two weeks.

"Hey Kagome, hey little guy!" Valkyrie greeting, high fiveing Dala's little boy who was once again start struck in the presence of the warrior woman.

"Hey Val. How have things been?"

"Quiet this time, thankfully. I think the usual troublemakers are trying to avoid your wrath." Kagome snickered at the memory of the last time she'd been here, when a trio of formerly very rich and influential Asgardians had cornered her to once again complain that their designated housing and food rations were unacceptable and people from their family should receive much more, and Kagome had simply had enough of their constant whining and never listening what she calmly explained that things had changed and they all had to work together, so she'd zapped them real good and walked away deeply satisfied at their smoking hair sticking out at all ends.

"Good. If I had to listen to those harpies just one more time I'd be tempted to turn them to dust." She paled then at her phrasing and regretted it immediately when all within hearing distance flinched and still too recent memories.

"Sorry, that was... bad wording on my part. Anyway, how is Thor REALLY doing? He manages to clean up nicely when I'm here, but I can tell he's not actually coping well. He's gained quite a bit of weigh too, is he eating alright?"

Valkyrie sighed and rubbed at her forehead.

"I've given up trying to get him to come out of that hovel he lives in, he never comes to the village cookouts. We only see him when you're here."

Kagome worried her lip between her teeth, nodded in thanks to Valkyrie, and scooped up her little charge for the day.

"Alright little guy, what say we go find Uncle King Thor some decent food, hm?"

There was a pretty decent store nearby, and she had a Stark Industries credit card burning a hole straight through her pocket.

————

'Where is he... where is he... Loki, why can't I find you?'

So far all attempts to call Loki back from death using the power she inherited from the Jewel had been unsuccessful. No matter how far she reached or how hard she pushed, she couldn't Kagome couldn't find his soul. If she could, she could yank it back into the world of the living where it belonged.

'Where are you, where are you, whe-'

"Oi, you gunna sit out here all night? You're gonna starve to death!'

Yanked violently out of her trance by Inuyasha brash voice, Kagome clutches at her head to calm her dizzy spell and glared at the hanyo as he sat next to her in the grass under the Goshinboku. He offered her a bowl of some noodles left over from dinner which she took gratefully, noticing for the first time how late the hour had grown.

"Thanks. I didn't realize how long I'd been meditating for."

Inuyasha eyed her for a moment as she ate quietly, then looked back up at the starry night sky peeking through the tree branches.

"Yeah you were pretty out of it. Anything in particular you're meditating over? You spend hours out here every day, even when the weather's bad. We're all kind of worried."

She paused for a moment, grappled with how much she should share of her controversial plans, and then decided that if there was anyone she could tell, it would be him.

"I... I'm working on something. Something that most people won't like."

"Oh? Care to share?"

She met his gaze, amber glowing inhuman in the night, and formed her resolve. There was no need to be scared or shamed.

"I'm going to bring him back."

Inuyasha blinked and stared unseeing at her face. He blinked again and then shook himself free of his shock.

"Come again?"

"I'm bring him back. Loki, I'm going to bring him back. I've been trying to find his soul, and I'm testing and stretching the Jewel's power to-"

"Woah woah woah, stop wench. The JEWEL? You're going to use the jewel for this? Don't you think that's unwise?"

"Why would it be unwise?" Kagome asked, head tilted with an expression of obvious confusion that Inuyasha did not understand.

"How can you even ask that? It's THE SHIKON JEWEL."

"I was going to use it to bring Kikyo back for YOU at one point, you didn't think it was so unwise then."

Inuyasha tried not to flinch, fairly certain she wasn't throwing the past in his face on purpose.

"That's because I was unwise. We were so young Kagome, we had no idea what we could have been getting ourselves into. We just have no idea what the Jewel is capable of, how it would twist a wish like that."

Kagome put down her half eaten noodles and crossed her arms with a huff.

"Excuse me, but I think I'm more than qualified to say what the jewel is capable of, Inuyasha. And it won't twist my wish because I won't be making any wishes."

"Listen wench I know you've been guarding the thing for the last 500 years, but that doesn't mean-"

"GUARDING?!" Kagome interrupted, anger and indignation trumping her confusion, "I haven't been GUARDING the jewel Inuyasha, I AM the Jewel. This power is MINE and it does what I say."

"Yeah, but-"

"No. I didn't bring this up tonight to ask for your advice. I've been sitting on it for 3 years and just needed to say it out loud."

She stood and began walking back toward the house.

"The decision is made no matter how anyone else feels about it."

She crossed the yard and disappeared into the house, leaving behind a very concerned Inuyasha to stew in his frustration.

———————-

4 years post snap

"Your dog friend has not been coming with you."

Kagome let Thor's probing statement hang in the air as she glanced around his little house, taking in the evidence that it had been quickly and haphazardly cleaned just before her arrival and trying to determine how much to tell him. She discreetly ran her finger along the surface of the farthest corner of the table she was standing in front of and nearly gasped at the thick layer of dust coating it, totally at odds with the smooth, shiny surface of the front of the table. She glanced over at him and noted that his clothes seemed even tighter and smaller than the last time she'd been here, and there was a small, stain on the hem of his shirt he'd attempted to hide with a cardigan. His aura was still totally fractured and disjointed, pulsing with the hurt and exhaustion he was having an increasingly difficult time hiding from her.

'I can't tell him. I can't get his hopes up. If I fail in bringing Loki back, it would crush him all over.'

"He doesn't always come."

"No, but now he never comes."

"Aw, do you miss him? I didn't know you two had gotten so close!"

Thor stared back at her sardonically, but cracked a true, rare grin when she erupted into peals of giggles that reminded him of simpler, happier times back home.

"We just aren't getting along all the time right now. Nothing for you to worry about, I've always been the cat to his dog. Me and Inuyasha not getting along is old hat. He'll come around and see that I'm always right and we'll be friends again no problem."

"If you say so."

"I do. Now, go put on something nicer than that, Dala has invited us to dinner tonight and you have subjects to greet along the way! They're worried about you, you know!"

Thor grumbled under his breath but allowed her to shuffle him off into his room to change. It was the same every time she visited, and as much as he wanted to just hide away behind his video games or in his bed, he was also grateful to her for always bringing to sun back when she came.

—————————

"I've noticed you and Inuyasha have been a little tense. Everything alright dear?"

"Oh mama, not you too. I've already got the third degree from Thor, Nat, AND Steve, I REALLY don't want it from you too."

Her mother chuckled and poured two cups of tea, then gestures for Kagome to join her at the table.

"Alright daughter, I just worry about you, and him, and everyone I suppose."

Kagome sat across from her mother at the table and took a grateful sip of the warm tea.

"I know, you're a huge worry wart. But everything is fine, Inuyasha and I always argue."

"You did when you were children hunting for that dangerous character in the past, but you're both much more grown and mature. What are you both arguing so long about?"

Kagome sighed and watched the steam rise out of her cup in wisps and curls until it disappeared, chewing her lip in contemplation and trying to breath steady to stave off the beginnings of a headache.

"Just the usual stuff mama. He doesn't like the choices I make, thinks I'm making a big, dumb mistake, thinks I'm going to get myself into trouble, yadda yadda. But everything is fine, I ASSURE you. We aren't even arguing about it all that much! Only when he brings it up!"

Her mother eyed her, concerned and unsure, but she reached across the table to pat her hand in a motherly way that made Kagome smile.

"If you say so dear, I trust you."

—————————

Back to the compound there little ship zoomed, and Kagome surreptitiously watched Inuyasha texting and grinning like a fool at whatever he was reading.

Things between them had warmed considerable since he'd stopped trying to convince her that bringing Loki back was a bad idea.

'People just aren't meant to come back from the dead. It's not smart to play with fate that way.'

Kagome rolled her eyes. Since when had fate ever been on her side?

But she pushed those ugly memories of explosive arguments aside in favor of teasing her oldest friend.

"What's Natasha have to say today?"

"Nothing, she's just saying they're ready for- how did you know I was texting Natasha?"

"Oh please, you're ALWAYS texting Natasha. And sneaking off to call her. Or cuddle in some unused office. None of us are stupid."

She burst out laughing at his spluttering and reddening cheeks.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of Dog-Boy, embrace it."

"Yeah yeah wench, whatever." He griped, turning away to hide his phone screen, but Kagome grinned in genuine happiness when his face softened again at whatever secret words his new flame had sent him.

'He deserves it, they both do. I'm glad there's still some love to be found in this new reality.'

She clasped her locket, her beloved gift from Loki, and her heart wilted just a little.

'And I'll have my love back. If it's the last thing I do.'


	64. Chapter63

**The events in this chapter are synced with events in the movie Avenger's Endgame.**

**5 Years Post Snap**

"Is that anyone's sandwich?"

Kagome watched the newcomer, Scott, stride over to the table and pick up Natasha's abandoned sandwich. His aura buzzed about him anxiously, as disheveled as the rest of him, but he was harmless.

And apparently not a stranger to Steve and Nat, which made her feel better about the way he kept pacing and jerking around, full of busy, nervous energy. He'd shown up out of the blue and unannounced, throwing a new wrench into their carefully constructed existences, but he'd distracted Natasha from the downward spiral she'd been on due to the current whereabouts of her closest friend, and for that Kagome was grateful.

Most of what he said went right over her head, her spotty attendance in high school physics not serving her very well in talks of quantum realms and pockets of slower time, but the conversation soon turned toward a subject she knew intimately.

"No, no of course not. Not a time machine. It's more like... yeah, like a time machine. I know, it's crazy. It's crazy! But I can't stop thinking about it. There's gotta be... some way... it's crazy."

"It's not crazy." She spoke before she could consider the ramifications which hit her all at once when three sets of eyes swung her way glowing with questions.

"It's not?" Scott asked, some of his agitation calming at the prospect of being understood.

Kagome cleated her throat, took one more moment to hesitate, then spilled a secret part of her life she hadn't spoken of since that long ago time on Asgard.

"No. No it's not crazy. Because... because I've time traveled."

————————

Kagome sat next to Scott in the diner booth and tried to follow along while they explained their new situation to Bruce, who had supposedly made peace with his "other side" and had morphed into an interesting amalgamation of himself and The Hulk. It was a little jarring, but there was a true peace about him that he hadn't had in the few interactions she'd had with him.

That same peace had also enveloped Tony, who'd been so very broken when she'd first met him. She could not blame him at all for not wanting to help them in their latest scheme. Asking him to risk his family was too much, and if they'd known he and Pepper were raising a child now, she'd have insisted on leaving him alone, though Steve would probably have argued.

She also couldn't blame him for not believing that she'd once been a time traveler. Tony Stark was a man of science, and ancient, magical wells on shrines hiding time portals in their depths were better suited to fairytale books.

Bruce, it seemed, was a little more willing to play along with her story, and his new, jovial outlook on life had him quickly agreeing to try and help them.

It seemed her own experiences with time travel didn't quite match up with what they would encounter should they be able to figure this out, but it was concluded that whatever had happened to allow her into the past must be a fixed point of some kind, and their own determination to force themselves backward through time would have very different consequences to the time line.

She called Inuyasha to join them, as he'd stayed behind to help with some repairs on the shrine. As her partner in time travel shenanigans, he'd be another invaluable resource in their investigations.

She went with Bruce and Nat to retrieve him, giving Bruce a chance to scan the well for latent energies related to her journeys into the past.

Her mother took his strange appearance in stride, just the way she took everything, and had them all seated around the table to have refreshments before they were allowed into the wellhouse.

Kagome set to work getting the tea cups arranged on a tray with some leftover dumplings and rice balls when her mother slid up behind her and whispered low enough that the human guests wouldn't hear, even though they wouldn't understand her mother's Japanese anyway, though she had no doubt Inuyasha was privy to every word.

"Is that Inuyasha's new lady friend?"

"What?" Kagome sputtered, glancing over quickly to see Inuyasha's ears tilting backwards and a slight flush crawling across his cheeks. "How did you know about that? They're so sneaky about it."

Her mother snickered and added some cookies to the tray.

"Oh please. As if I hadn't noticed him always with his nose in that phone of his. I'm old now dear, but I am not losing my mind yet! She seems very nice. And what other reason would she have to come here? As I remember you telling me, she is not a scientist like the other one, and this is a science trip after all."

Her jaw dropped in shock, but Kagome couldn't deny her mother was right. They'd only told her that Bruce wanted to study the well, not that they were all trying to build a time machine, but even with as little information as she'd been given she was right in her assessment that Natasha was not necessarily to this expedition.

'_Except maybe to see a certain grumpy puppy.'_

Kagome thought as she placed the tray of food and tea at the center of the table. She winked as Inuyasha cast her a dark glare when she took her seat.

————————

The lasers that ran over their bodies felt like nothing at all, but were apparently enough to get thorough, detailed readings of their bodies on a cellular level. Bruce's scans of the well had turned up all of nothing, so he'd inquired about scanning their bodies instead. Inuyasha had been reluctant to be treated like some sort of science experiment after centuries of successfully dodging such treatment, but with a huff and a glare Kagome managed to convince him to go along with it.

"This is so embarrassing." Inuyasha grumbled, standing rigidly with his arms crossed in a skin tight suit that covered him from sternum to wrist to ankle.

Kagome wore a matching suit and she had to agree. It was shockingly revealing despite covering nearly every centimeter of skin.

"I agree, I hate that this is necessary."

"It's not." Bruce responded distractedly, tapping at the readings on his screen.

"It's not?! Then why the hell are we wearing these things?"

"This was just for me." Natasha answered Inuyasha's outburst, stepping up and grinning impishly as Kagome burst into giggles.

"Natasha you're the _worst_."

"I'm not getting anything unusual out of these scans. Well, nothing aside from what already makes you unusual. Nothing to suggest you've been permanently altered by jumping into a time portal."

"Sorry we couldn't be more help Bruce."

"Eh, it's alright 'Gome, I've got some other things cooking I'm going to try out. Scott's going to help me test some things this afternoon, we'll see what happens then."

————————

The arrival of Tony Stark and his proclamation of having solved the time travel dilemma added a fresh undercurrent of excitement to the burning hope that had been bubbling up between each of them, and he set them to work immediately on building the machine that would allow them to leap backwards through time and snatch the Infinity Stones for themselves before Thanos could ever find them.

Tony Stark in his natural element, happy, busy and running the show, was a force that Kagome would never have predicted from her previous, very brief interactions with him. He almost rarely called them by name, resorting to nicknames that ranged from obvious to absurd or obscure, keeping them on their toes with new directives and verbal sparring matches, and sweeping in and out of rooms unannounced to do as he pleased and drop hints of havoc in his wake. He marched to the beat of a drum no one else had ever heard, and Kagome found him endlessly entertaining in a way no one else in their group appreciated.

_'I was married to Loki for too long. This kind of chaos is just second nature to me now, I guess.' _

She felt his aura approaching again, dancing with mischief and mirth to check in on she and Inuyasha where they worked in one of the store rooms utilizing Inuyasha's demon strength to search through large boxes of mechanical parts while Kagome sorted tiny electrical bits. Tony popped his head in and Inuyasha immediately tensed, much to Kagome's eternal amusement.

"Hey Katniss, Thundercat, we're waiting in the meeting hall."

And just like that he was gone, leaving them to tidy up and make their way to join the rest of their friends.

"How many damn times am I gonna have to tell that asshole that I'm a dog?!"

"Something tells me he's going to keep making cat references until he's convinced changing to dog jokes will get more of a rise out of you." Kagome giggled as she strode next to him, and Inuyasha's heart squeezed at how bright her eyes sparkled for the first time in ages.

"Hey uh, Kagome..." he started, scratching at the back of his head awkwardly.

"Yes?"

"So um, you seem to be happier lately."

"We're all happier Inuyasha, we actually have something to do, a goal to work toward. We have a chance to fix everything." She replied dismissively and he winced that he'd now have to push a little farther. Things had been so good between them since he'd stopped arguing with her about her plans for resurrecting her dead husband, but he couldn't let it lie any longer, no matter what she said about it. He wasn't even positive that a person could be successfully brought completely back from the dead, not without some serious repercussions, and he was worried about how she might react if that turned out to be true, that she would be unable to cope with failing in bringing him back. Especially as she was involving the tumultuous powers of the Shikon Jewel. More than anything he feared her attempts would be twisted by the inherent selfishness of bringing someone back from the dead.

Turning back the clock on Thanos's destruction was different somehow, in his mind at least. Righting a wrong wrought by someone's else's selfishness seemed more justifiable than calling back a singular soul simply because you missed them.

In any case he had to ensure that her head was in the right place for this mission. It was going to be difficult enough as it was.

"Well I mean, you seem extra _extra_ happy."

She cast him a suspicious glance.

"Is there something you're trying to say?"

Inuyasha heaved a sigh and decided to lay it all on the line. Subtlety was never his forte anyway.

"Have you moved on from attempting to resurrect Loki?"

She stopped mid step and looked at him, uncomprehending and with the beginnings of old defensiveness and rage beginning to simmer behind her eyes.

"Why are you asking about that? Of course I haven't."

"You don't think it would be better to try and move on? Like the rest of us?"

Inuyasha could practically see the defensive walls she was building in her mind with every word he spoke and he hated it more than he could say, but as her oldest friend he felt honor bound to try and care for her in the ways she wouldn't care for herself.

"Like the rest of you? And what are the rest of you doing to move on? Hatching plans to bring back all the people you lost? Building _time machines_? How am I any different?"

Inuyasha flinched at the accusation in her tone, and despite his previous thoughts on the differences of their situations, he could still see how damning it seemed.

"That's... not exactly-"

"Don't even try to tell me it's different Inuyasha. Don't even start. Thanos killed Loki just like he killed Sesshomaru and Shippo and me trying to bring him back is no different. Now let's go, they're still waiting on us."

———————

Touching down in New Asgard made Kagome breath a sigh of relief. Inuyasha has followed Natasha to Japan to find Clint Barton, and the massive stretch of space between them finally cut the tension she'd been holding onto since they're last conversation before that hectic meeting that had led her here to retrieve Thor.

Scott, Bruce and Rocket followed her through the village, past the docks where Valkyrie warned them he may not want to see them.

But she was there, and he always wanted to see her.

The only thing that made her nervous was that it wasn't her week to be here. Thor normally had two whole weeks to clean himself up before she arrived, and she worried what she'd find by catching him unawares.

Her heart broke when they entered his little house and she found it was much worse than she feared.

He had successfully hidden so much of his struggling from her.

He'd had no chance to clean the beer bottles and pizza boxes, to put on a cleaner, bigger shirt or sweater, to dust or wipe or sweep. He staggered and slurred as he tried to greet them, but she couldn't tear her eyes from the physical manifestations of the mess in his heart and soul.

She picked up a mostly empty beer bottle and sniffed, her nose wrinkling at the smell of cheap, weak alcohol, nowhere close to the strength of Asgardian wine or Ale.

"Thor, how are you even getting drunk on this stuff? Are you not drinking _any_ water at all when I'm not here?"

He met her eyes guiltily and Rocket and Bruce stepped back from their attempts to reason with him as she approached.

"Oh Thor, I figured things were worse than you were letting on. I'm so sorry. But listen to me, we need you now, okay? We're going to get them back. Do you understand? We're getting them _all_ back. Will you help us?"

He stared back into her eyes and she watched as hope and despair warred in the depths of his. His feelings of failure bowed to the possibility of righting all of the wrongs that had plagued his every thought. Kagome thought she might sing when she watched resolve flash brightly through his aura, and when he clasped her hand and nodded his acceptance, determination hardening his features, she let her own hope finally fly free.

They would win after all, and they would do it together.


	65. Chapter64

_A.N.: check in time! I hope you're all still staying safe and healthy in these times! Also, the Hanyo no Yashahime trailer has released! Things for the sequel are looking exciting!_

**Events in this chapter are synced with events events in the movie Avengers Endgame**

Kagome rifled through a box of electrical bits looking for spare just-in-case parts in the event their planned test run went haywire. This very afternoon, Clint Barton would be sent back in time to bring back a token of proof that their time machine worked, and Tony was pushing them overtime to make sure every last possible thread was tied in a neat and tidy bow, and they were all jittery and nervous to see if the fruits of all their labors would be in vain or not.

If this test was as successful as they all hoped, they would throw their planning into overdrive and nail down every last necessary detail to bring the stones from the past to the present.

A knock sounded on the doorframe of the room Kagome had sequestered herself in for a moment of peace and quiet while she worked. Steve Rogers stood in the doorway, face calm and unassuming, but his aura was expectant and she braced herself for whatever was on his mind. She had a feeling it was more than the pep talk he'd been giving everyone else.

"Hello Steve. How can I help you?"

At her invitation he pushed off the doorframe and stepped further into the room, sitting in a chair on the other side of the table she was using and took a moment to stare into her eyes with the expression he always had when he wanted to play therapist. Kagome just barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"You still planning on jumping with the rest of us?"

"Of course. Thor needs my help. He's not really in any state to do any time traveling on his own."

Steve nodded and looked down at his hands, fingers laced together on the table top.

"I had an interesting conversation with Inuyasha this morning."

"Oh?" Kagome replied, guard already going up.

"He's concerned about you Kagome, but he said he's not been able to get through to you, so he wanted me to try and help."

Kagome crossed her arms, feeling belligerent and defensive and ready to lash out though she knew Steve didn't deserve that.

"And what exactly did Inuyasha have to say about why he's concerned?"

"He thinks you might not be a good candidate for this mission. I might be inclined to agree, unless you can assure me that he's wrong."

She blinked and clenched her jaw so hard she feared she may crack a tooth, but she took a deep, cleansing breath, and smiled. Steve's eyes widened and she was certain she looked deranged, but the rage consuming her pushed all ability to care aside.

"Oh I can assure that he's very wrong indeed."

"But you don't even know what-"

"Thanking you for bringing this issue to my attention Captain, but I'm afraid I must cut this little conversation short."

She pushed up and away from the table, storming through the door with Steve hot on her heels.

"Wait, Kagome, where are you going?"

"Don't worry about it Steve, this doesn't concern you any longer."

She marched quickly through the compound, senses locked on Inuyasha's aura. He was in one of the main workrooms with Natasha, Tony and Clint running last minute checks before the test run, and she zeroed in and made a b-line straight in husband direction.

"Inuyasha!"

He looked up, startled and confused, at the angry sound of Kagome's voice but then his face registered recognition when he saw Steve running in behind her.

"Yeah Kagome?"

"Where the _hell_ do you get off?! Sending _Steve_ to do your dirty work? And what's with you telling him you don't think I'm fit to go on this mission? Who said that was your decision at all?"

"Woah," Tony interjected, hands raised and stepping out of the line of Kagome's ire. "Alright Garfield, start talking. Why should we leave behind our best asset?"

Inuyasha struggled for a moment, wavering between insisting on having this discussion again in private and getting it all out with an audience. If he aired his concerns now, he could seriously damage his relationship with his oldest friend, but then he could save her from doing something regrettable.

"Kagome's only going so she can bring Loki back."

A thick, dangerous silence filled all the spaces between them, and then the icy edges of invisible rage they were certain were coming from Kagome traced down their spines and set them all on edge.

"Inuyasha, what the hell gave you the idea that I was going to time travel just to bring Loki back?"

He blinked, unsure for a moment if he hadn't read her intentions wrong. But she'd been obsessive about resurrecting him for the last 5 years, why wouldn't she take the easy route if she could?

"You know perfectly well why I would think that."

"No. I don't. I've been paying attention in Science Class this week Inuyasha, and I'm not so stupid as to not know that taking Loki out of the timeline and into this one would be dooming a different version of me to life long loneliness, and I've never been the type to cut off my nose to spite my face." She took several steps more forward, crowded his space, forcing him back.

"I'm going on this mission and there's nothing you or anyone here can do to stop me, is that clear Inuyasha? Stay. Out. Of. It."

She turned and stormed back out of the room, looking for some place isolated and alone to spend her frustration.

She knew he meant well, she knew he was worried, but she was so beyond tired of being underestimated at every turn.

_'I can't wait to force the biggest apology out of his dumb face when I prove I'm not crazy, that I can do this. _

Finding an empty room near the kitchen, Kagome stopped for a box full of snacks, and then locked herself away. She needed to meditate.

————————-

Clint stood up on the newly built platform, nervous energy churning around him that made perfect sense considering his current circumstances. He was seconds away from being the first of them to travel through time on their new time machine. He would be going for just a few seconds, finding some small token to prove he'd made it, and then they'd bring him back.

It would be quick and hopefully painless.

Still, there was a thread of anxiety in his aura that differed from the rest of his nerves, and he kept glancing over at her in a way that had her tilting her head in suspicion.

'_He's up to something... but what?'_

Last minute checks and words of encouragement were given and then after two heavy, breathless moments he was gone between one second and the next.

They watched the spot he disappeared with mounting tension, chewing fingernails and tapping toes and counting each second as it crawled by. This run was meant to last just a minute before he was brought back, _just_ enough time to prove they could make something happen, but the hands on the clock took their precious time counting down the last seconds.

A flash, a crash, and Clint Barton reappeared in his natural timeline, falling to the floor with a loud thud and a groan. When he stood from the crumpled heap on the floor, he left behind a young man with wild, confused eyes, a shock of silver hair that rivaled even Inuyasha's, and a trail of blood oozing from a wound on his back.

Time stopped for a beat, and then all hell broke loose as several sets of eyes swung to look right at Kagome, and then a crazed cacophony of voices erupted, desperately trying to make sense of what had just happened.

"Don't look at _me_! I didn't tell him to do that!!"

"But it was your idea originally!"

"Like hell it was!"

"Who even _is_ this guy?"

"Clint _what_ were you thinking? Is he fresh from Sokovia?!"

"I couldn't just let him die when I knew there was a chance to save him!"

"He's _been_ dead!"

"And now he's not!"

"Stop growling at me Inuyasha this was _not_ my fault!"

"Now what are we supposed to do? What implications could this have?"

"_STOP_!!"

Tony floated above the chaos in his Iron Man suit, his voice magnified by something in his helmet and stopping them all in their tracks.

"Alright Robin Hood, time to spill it. What's the meaning of this?"

Clint sat on the edge of the platform and hung his head, rubbing his eyes, guilt pulsing around him thick and suffocating.

"Listen, it's _not_ her fault, but when they said Kagome was going to bring Loki back it... made me think. He should never have died for me back then. I know it's selfish but... I couldn't..."

The unexpected newcomer looked around in a daze, both from blood loss and confusion.

"What... What is going on?"

Kagome knelt at his side and covered his wound with her hand, summoning her stores of healing reiki to help staunch the flow of blood until they could get him to the medical unit.

She sighed as she looked between the confused young man and Clint, who met her eyes desperately, looking for forgiveness, absolution, something she couldn't give him. She shrugged helplessly and turned back to the wound she was healing.

"Well, a little selfishness now and then never hurt anyone. Hello, I'm Kagome. You've been brought to the future, I'm afraid."

"Pietro." He nodded, and then Rhodey and Steve stepped forward to help him up.

"Someone get this kid a drink. Coffee, a shot of tequila, something." Tony replied, still floating aloft incase he needed to play peacekeeper once again.

"You have vodka?"

"Yeah sure kid, whatever you want. Clint, that was very naughty."

"Yeah, I know."

"Alright well, at least we know it works. Meeting time children, the work is not done! Double time!"

——————-

Tracking the stones in the past, pinpointing their locations and when they would jump, gathering the tools and supplies they would need, they were all swept up in a whirlwind of planning and plotting over the next several days that occupied every last waking minute and sent them crashing into bed every night.

It was exhausting, draining, blessed work. If they thought having a task, a purpose had made them happier before, knowing that they hadn't been working in vain was euphoric. Even Thor was in a better mood than Kagome had seen him in years, though he was still scattered and a little fragile.

He stumbled through his presentation on the Aether, but refused to back down and let someone else take over, even her, and she was so proud of him for finding his strength again.

When he finally sat she squeezed his hand and beamed at the look of accomplishment on his face. For the first time in a long time she felt like he would be fine, and it was a weight off her heart she hadn't realized had grown so heavy until it was loosed and pushed away.

And so their plans were laid and fine tuned and their materials and tools were gathered. Most important to the part of the mission she herself would go on, Tony had built a painless, non lethal stunning weapon that would take out the extra heavy guard rotation that Odin had placed around the dungeon to keep her from Loki what seemed now like a lifetime ago. She was a little nervous, as the tool would be mostly untested until they used it, but if they had any hope of sneaking into the palace from underneath they would need them all out of the way, and Tony had proven trustworthy in his abilities thus far.

So they suited up and gathered round the platform that would assist in sending them away, all mingling in their nervousness and excitement. They stepped up onto the machine floor, checked their time coordinates one last time, waved to Inuyasha and Pietro who were staying behind, and in the next moment, the time heist had begun.

————————

Loki marched resolutely behind his brother with his head high. Bound, gagged and bedraggled, he'd been beaten soundly by his brother's new little group of friends and yanked out of whatever cloud Thanos had kept him in for who even knew how long. There was no time to get his bearings or ask questions, he'd been silenced and shackled and tugged along and no matter how much it stung his pride, he still _had_ pride, so he kept his shoulders back and his eyes up and forward.

As they came to a stop something in the air shifted, and all the parts of him that thrived on disorder perked up and paid attention.

Tony Stark, the rude one who'd offered him a drink and then not delivered fell boneless to the floor, and in the mayhem that followed an unbelievable turn of events dropped the tesseract right at his feet. He stared at it stunned for a moment, breathless at the opportunity this promised when it seemed his life might actually be over.

He glanced around to be sure his captors were still distracted, and then quickly scooped up the tesseract and disappeared without a trace.

He blinked back into being in a familiar, comfortable place. The room he'd shared with the only person who'd occupied his troubled mind and broken through his clouded thoughts since he'd fallen from the bifrost.

Her face, tear stained and beloved, framed by hair black as night frizzed in disarray stared at him in disbelief. Her liquid blue eyes glowed nearly the same blue as the tesseract which still pulsed in his hands.

"...Loki?" She whispered brokenly, and his heart lurched as hearing her voice call his name further cleared the haze from his mind.

"Hello darling."

"You're... you're alive?"

Her voice was soft and fragile, and he grinned a dark, mischievous, victorious grin that would have sent a weaker being running.

But his wife, his Kagome had never been a weakling. She dashed from the bed and into his arms, and as he clutched her close and kissed her head and felt her tears soak through his clothes, he activated the tesseract once more, and they were gone from Asgard.

—————————-

Their stun grenade had worked marvelously, and all the guards going to and from the entrance to the dungeons fell where they were standing, breathing and unharmed. They quickly filed inside, and though Kagome had given herself a stern pep talk at every turn in the last week, seeing Loki again rooted her to the floor and took her every breath away.

He lounged casually and tossed a cup repeatedly into the air, catching it effortlessly, and he looked so real and flawless and _alive_ that she was powerless to stop the flood of hot tears coursing down her face.

She could feel Rocket tugging at her fingers, but she was useless stone, unable to move or speak or breath for the sight of Loki in all his living glory.

She distantly heard Thor demanding they leave her alone and carry on by themselves and she made a mental note to thank him later in some way, though she could never make up for this.

Slowly she approached his cell, and he remained oblivious to her presence until she hiccuped around a sob.

His beautiful emerald eyes flashed her direction, and then widened as he scrambled up and over to meet her where the bespelled glass of his cell wall separated them.

"Loki..." she choked out, more tears nearly blinding her to his face, to his body so full of life again, but she didn't miss the love, care and concern in his gaze.

"Oh my darling, do not cry, not for me."

But cry she did, wrapping her arms around herself to fight the chilling bitterness that she couldn't wrap herself in his arms instead.

"I've missed you... _so_ much."

Loki saw through whatever lies she'd prepared before she'd even had a chance to use them, and the shrewd knowing look in his eyes made her feel bare and exposed.

"Darling, what's going on?"

She looked down at the floor and bit her lip, desperate to let it all out, to tell him everything she'd felt and feared and dared to hope for, but there was so much at risk, so many unknowns.

"I... I can't tell you."

"Kagome, I shouldn't have to remind you that you can tell me anything. Now, what's happened?"

She met his eyes again and nearly crumpled. She pressed a little closer and memorized every new wave and curl in his longer hair that she hadn't appreciated the last time she saw him.

_'Loki's female hair isn't curly like this... How curious. I wish I could run my hands through it...'_

"Loki I... there's so much... for now, all I can tell you is that this is the first time I've seen you in nearly ten years."

The shock on his face was so different from his usual masks of indifference or superiority. It was a level of emotional freedom he'd only ever shown to her, and that he could so easily fall back into that left warmth in the places her heart had cracked.

"How is that possible?"

"See that's what I can't tell you. But.. but I'm fixing it. I'm _fixing_ it. I promise you I'm going to make everything better, I will. Just trust me, _please_ trust me."

He eyed her for a moment, weighing the truth of her words, and then smiled, loving, confident and secure.

"Darling, I have never trusted anyone as I trust you."

Kagome beamed, elated despite her disappointment she couldn't throw herself at him and kiss him senseless, the way she had in her dreams over and over.

The pager they'd all been given to signal that it was time to go if they were separated chirped from its place on her hip and she quickly dashed away her tears.

"Listen to me Loki, I'm coming back to see you again. Today. _Very_ soon. I need you to pretend that it's the first time you've seen me since you've been in here. Can you do that?"

"Will you be wearing that ridiculous piece of clothing again?"

She erupted in a fit of bright, effervescent giggles, nearly lightheaded with the mix of happiness and despair leaving her tingly and on edge.

"No. No I won't be dressed this way."

"Alright, then it shouldn't be a problem, as long as you don't look too closely at my deceit."

"Trust me, I'll be too distracted with relief. I have to go. Don't forget, everything is going to turn out okay."

"I won't."

"I love you. So much. Forever."

"And I, you, Kagome. Through everything."

She took one last, long, lingering look at the blessed sight of her living, breathing heart, and then she forced herself to turn and run up into the home she'd been stolen from, intent on finding Thor and Rocket and getting the rest of this show on the road.

'_It's time to take back what's mine. I'm more than ready.'_

_A.N.: this chapter is dedicated to my best friend and beta reader who begged me to bring Pietro back. He's one of her favorites, so I couldn't say no lol. He won't be playing too much of a role, but he's back! Also, Thor Ragnarok takes place 4 years after Thor Dark World. Kagome was kidnapped at the end of Dark World, and Loki died just after Ragnarok, meaning it's been a total of about 9 years since they've seen each other, give or take a few months. As always, my deepest thanks for everyone who follows, favorites and leaves reviews. They always make my day! See you in the next update!_


	66. Chapter65

_A.N.: this one is short, but the next one... ohhh the next one will be big indeed. _

_C.W.: character death and non-graphic explanation of cause of death.  
_

**The events in this chapter are synced with events in the movie Avengers Endgame**

"Hi mama."

"Hello dear, I'm just checking up on you. You've been so busy over there. Are you eating? Are you coming home soon?"

Kagome hung her head and covered the receiver on her phone, taking several deep, gasping breaths to clear the tears lodged in her throat.

"Yes mama I'm eating. And I can't come back just yet, we still have a little more work to do with this latest project. We're almost done, and I'll head straight there, I promise."

"Alright dear, I'll let you go then, it's late here. I'll see you soon."

The line clicked and went dead, and Kagome flopped backward on her mattress and threw her arm over her face. Her tears ran then, down the sides of her face, catching in her ears and hair, wetting her sheet.

They'd lost Nat.

Their one casualty on their mission.

She'd tossed herself off a cliff so they could have the Soul Stone and return the lives Thanos had stolen.

It had been a devastating blow. Clint had been inconsolable, Inuyasha had disappeared altogether, though she could feel his aura hovering around on the roof, and the rest of them had taken the next day off to mourn and remember.

Kagome had barely stopped crying since the news had been delivered.

It was too much. Leaving a living, breathing Loki behind to step back into a world where he was dead had felt a lot like living through him dying all over again, the very air around her seeming more dull for the fact that he wasn't breathing it.

And then whatever was left in the atmosphere went completely stale with the end of Natasha's life.

Sango.

Sif.

And now Natasha.

Beautiful, glorious warrior women with a fierce exterior housing a warm, loving heart, ready to give up their lives at a moment's notice for those they loved.

_'I can't believe I got to count each of them friends, and now they're ALL gone.'_

Thor had suggested using the newly acquired stones to bring her back, but according to Clint it was a permanent exchange. A soul for a soul.

A selfless sacrifice required to gain access to one of the ancient stones of power.

A selfless sacrifice.

'... _a selfless sacrifice. I... I'M selfless sacrifice. Maybe... maybe I could reverse this. Maybe I could just decide to revoke her sacrifice. I could save Gamora too... I need to think on this. I need to meditate.'_

She checked the time, noted three hours until they reconvened to finally use the stones, set an alarm, and cleared her mind.

————————-

A keen awareness of the potential for doom prompted Kagome to slip her bow and quiver over her shoulders. There was simply no possible way to know how the stones might react. Gearing up to use them to undo what Thanos had done felt a lot like getting ready to wish on the Shikon no Tama. Would they get exactly what they asked for, or was there a dark, immutable will within the stones that would twist their desires and deliver something warped and tainted?

As far as she was concerned, when you started messing with powerful, ancient artifacts you could never be too careful. And while she wasn't sure just what her weapons would be able to do if things went south, it made her feel less vulnerable to have their comfortable weight resting between her shoulders.

And she apparently wasn't the only one letting their nerves get the best of them.

Steve had his shield, Inuyasha had tessaiga slung through a belt loop, and Clint had his own specialized bow and arrow ready and waiting. Stormbreaker rested against a seat next to the one Thor was waiting silently in, casually tossing and catching his newly reacquired Mjolnir, and Bruce was a weapon unto himself.

Armed to the teeth and dangerous, it made Kagome feel a little less like they were going in blind to know they were all ready to throw down at a moment's notice.

She sidled up to Inuyasha, and when he met her eyes she smiled sadly, and placed a hand on his shoulder.

His mouth twitched up on a ghost of a grin that didn't meet his haunted eyes, but he brightened at least a little. Nothing was said, but the message was clear: she would have his back in this as in everything else.

No matter how tense things between them had been before, her oldest friend was hurting and she wouldn't abandon him.

She turned her attention onto the stones where they glittered in the gauntlet Tony had crafted for them.

Seemingly innocuous with their shimmering rainbow of colors, there was an unmistakable aura of ambiguity surrounding each one. Nearly perfectly balanced between light and dark, it would be impossible to predict which way using them would tilt the scale. It was possible they were a wholly impartial tool that operated exactly as the user intended, with no inherent malice or shady will of their own.

Kagome felt herself sinking into her inner awareness as she reached out with a thin tendril of reiki toward the stones, and her eyes widened marginally in astonishment as one glowed slightly brighter than the others in answer to her wordless call. Bright, orange, a sparkling citrine of possibility that called out to something in her it recognized and Kagome stepped closer, heedless of any potential danger as she answered its call. It's silent chime of recognition went unheard by all but she herself, and that's when Kagome realized what she was looking at.

_'A Stone of Souls... just like me. I think I can use this. I think I can use it to boost my abilities and find Loki's soul... but I wonder...'_

She moved a little closer, got a feel for the energies winding excitedly together past the stones deceptively calm surface, and pushed down further inside. She probed around deeper, finding a little pocket that pulsed with something unmistakable, something that felt like life.

'_Oh... I think I found it, where the souls of the sacrificed are kept... let me just...'_

She was startled harshly out of her searching by a hand coming down firmly in her shoulder, and her head whipped around, meeting Tony Stark's worried gaze.

"You okay there kid? You looked possessed for a minute."

Kagome blinked, clearing the clouds of concentration that had filled her head and then smirked, shrugging Tony's hand off.

"Kid? Tony, I'm older than you are."

He rolled his eyes and moved over To the Hulk, who stood on the other side of the gauntlet display.

"Don't remind me. Big Guy here's doing the honors, so go ahead and step back with the others."

She blushed a little to notice that everyone else had, indeed, made a little bit of space between the group and the gauntlet, so she fell back and wedged herself between Thor and Inuyasha.

Bruce placed the gauntlet on his hand and the backlash of power as a consequence of using them laid the gentle giant flat in his back, arm smoking, and they all rushed forward to make sure he was alright.

Tony sprayed his arm with something to put out the smolder and soothe the pain while Kagome concentrated her reiki through his veins to heal what she could of the damage, but it was extensive.

'_So THIS is the price of using the stones together. I see.'_

As she tended to her wounded friend she did her best to ignore the rest of the hubbub of ringing phones, people running to and fro, and the fever pitched chatter of trying to determine the effectiveness of Bruce's use of the the stones.

Bruce groaned in pain, she and Tony's combined efforts to soothe him taking more time than was appreciated up against the immense damage the stones had wrought, but they were making a little progress. He may not be able to use this arm again, at least not any time soon, but he wouldn't have to be in pain for too much longer.

"Hey guys?" She heard Scott say in the distant background, nearly missed with most of her focus turned to healing, but his next words did catch enough of her attention to give her pause.

"I think it worked..."

She met Tony's eyes, and for a moment elation sparked as they comprehended what that meant.

They'd done it. They'd defied time and fate and destiny and brought back the trillions of souls across the universe that had been lost.

Tony opened his mouth to speak, and then everything went dark.


	67. Chapter66

_"Just this once, everybody lives!" The Doctor, Doctor Who, season one, episode 10, 'The Doctor Dances'_

**The events in this chapter are synced with events in the movie Avengers Endgame **

When Kagome woke, the smell of smoke and the electric feel of immediate danger set her on edge. Her head throbbed, and blood oozed over her eyes from a slit across her forehead. She wiped it away with the back of her sleeve and then gingerly pushed herself from the wreckage she'd been lying in. By some stroke of divine luck her bow and quiver had remained intact on her back, and it took her no time to find the stray arrows that had scattered when she fell. She scanned around her immediate surroundings and found a lot of snapped metal and smoldering ash. Her eyes widened in confusion, fear, and astonishment. The whole of Avengers Compound had seemingly exploded around them, and they were buried in the rubble.

'_But why? What's happened?_'

Stepping carefully, watching her footing, Kagome picked a direction and began walking, looking around for any sign of life from her other friends.

'_Please don't let any of them be dead, please please please.' _

She reached out in all directions with tendrils of her awareness, searching for auras among the wreckage and trying to feel through broken, fractured electronics.

Worry, confusion, and despair swallowed her thoughts and she could not puzzle out what might have caused this. They were right there at the end, so close to success they could taste it, only to have the world literally implode under them.

Had the stones done this? Had this been the ultimate price, yet another consequence to their backlash of power? But Thanos had not caused such an extreme event either time _he_ had used them, so something else was at play here, something big that caused a knot of dread to tighten in her gut.

"Wench? Is that you? Oh thank Kami."

Not for the first since coming to Earth, Kagome felt something inside her snap to attention at the vague reference to divinity. Prayers were something she'd largely ignored since coming to Earth. For the most part, spiritual humans named their gods when they prayed, and no one prayed to her specifically, so she wasn't accosted by prayers on a daily basis, but every once in a while someone in range of her would be just vague enough that she'd hear.

But she brushed it off again as Inuyasha stepped out of a cloud of smoke, Pietro unconscious in his arms, their silver hair dirtied with dust and soot.

"Inuyasha, what the hell happened?!"

"I don't know! Everything was fine, people were coming back, the fucking _birds_ were back and then _this_. This kid landed next to me and hasn't woken up.

"Here, put him down." Kagome gestured to a nearby spot that appeared flat and stable enough, and Inuyasha quickly but gently laid the swift footed avenger down. Kagome placed her hands on his head and drew up her stores of healing reiki, running them over and through his body to find what damage had been wrought inside him.

"I think he just hit his head, he's going to be fine. But we have to get him out of here. You'll have to-"

A shockwave of Thor's electricity washed through them and the hairs on their arms stood up. That had been _a lot_ of power, a measure that Thor had not had to use in sometime.

Kagome's heart dropped as she reached out once more with her reiki, searching, searching for auras and answers.

After several moments of deep concentration, she pinged the auras of Steve, Thor, Tony, Clint, Scott, Rocket, Nebula, Gamora and -

'_Wait... Gamora? I thought Gamora was...'_

"Oh no..." she whispered frantically, pushing further out with her senses, forcing herself to see and feel past the blockages caused by haywire electric signals, ignoring Inuyasha's concerned questions, until she found the one answer she hadn't even imagined she'd have to pray against.

Standing alone, calm, the edges of his grossly familiar aura tinged with satisfaction, was Thanos.

"Oh _no_! Inu... I can't... I don't..."

Inuyasha grasped her shoulders with a firm grip to steady her and she looked up into his eyes which flashed steely and hard, stopping her rambling and chaotic, panicked thoughts.

"Slow down Kagome. What is going on?"

A tear slipped down her face and fear curdled in her heart. She grasped one of his hands to anchor herself and took in a slow, shaky breath that inspired no confidence.

"It's Thanos."

Inuyasha's aura cooled to frosty and then flared with bright hatred, the abrupt shifting making Kagome a little dizzy.

"How the _hell_-"

"I don't _know_ Inuyasha! I... I don't know! But he's _out there_, and another Gamora is somewhere in all of this with the rest of us!"

"Okay... okay... what do you need?"

It was testament to the maturity that came with age that he hadn't already unsheathed tessaiga and blown the roof sky high, and his unshaken belief in her abilities settled some of her turbulent feelings. She was able to slow her thoughts enough to think, and she cobbled together a makeshift plan that made things a bit less chaotic.

"I think you need to head deeper into this mess and try to find the others. I'll find a way out. Thor, Tony And Steve are already out there, they'll need some back up, and I've almost killed Thanos before. I could do it again."

"Right. But what about this guy?" He asked, gesturing to the still sleeping Pietro.

"I'll place a barrier around him, one that will hold no matter what. He should be fine here for now."

Her barrier flickered into place, strong and gleaming with her power, and then Inuyasha pointed her in the direction he could hear outside air blowing into their prison of rubble.

"Inuyasha..." Kagome halted him as they turned in their opposite directions. She searched his face for just a moment as he stared at her questioningly, memorizing his features, the gold of his eyes, the silver of his hair, the characteristics of her oldest friend in the world.

"Just... please just be careful Inuyasha, okay? I can't... I can't lose you too, not after everything else."

He smirked that familiar, cocky, battle ready smirk and it bolstered her confidence just a might more.

"Keh. As if anything's been strong enough to take me down yet."

He turned and disappeared into the smoke, and Kagome took just one extra moment to gather her courage, send a extra pulse of strengthening reiki into Pietro's barrier, and head off to find her way back to the outside world and the battle awaiting her.

———————

It was a little slower going than she would have liked, but she kept close track of how her fellow fighters outside of the compound were fairing by keeping tight leashes on their auras.

So far things were stable enough, but then she felt Tony's aura dim, signaling he'd been knocked out, and she picked up her pace, moving a little more recklessly over the debris and wreckage.

Soon after, Thor's aura flared excitedly, and she almost dared to hope, and then it, too dimmed just like Tony's, and throwing caution to the wind, Kagome summoned up a barrier and swelled it out above her, blowing a hole through the top of the mound of twisted metal and glass and scrambled out.

The devastation surrounding her was sobering, and in the center of it all stood Thanos, surrounded by a horde of alien warriors ready to tear the lone avenger apart.

Steve stood, straightened his weary spine, and tightened the strap that held his shield to his arm, pain and exhaustion darkening his aura, but still he planned to stand alone.

Her respect for him grew. Steve stood by his convictions even when they were leading him to slaughter, and that kind of integrity wasn't easy to find.

But he wasn't alone, not anymore.

Lifting her hands, she sent a fortifying bolt of healing reiki into his back, and his spirit shined around him a little brighter. She began making her way down to join his side, anger bubbling up at the sight of the being who had caused her and those she loved so much misery.

Thanos didn't move, watching them curiously with an enigmatic smirk she couldn't wait to wipe off his face. There was no recognition for her though, only curiosity and vague contempt. She wondered at that, but not having him calling her "angel" was certainly a blessing she was not about to take for granted.

She was not quite half way to Steve's side when the air shifted and shimmered. She stopped with a breathless gasp as glittering gold portals opened out of nothing, and out stepped a legion of formerly fallen friends and allies. She watched as they filled in the space behind Steve, a veritable army of people of all shapes, sizes and abilities, ready to join him in the fight to save the world.

Tears streamed down her face at the hope and beauty of it, cutting through the grime that coated her skin, and then she was snatched around the waist and airborne. She looked up with a gasp into a set of glittering green eyes framed by fiery red hair. She relaxed instantly. She'd never seen this face before, but she'd recognize that foxy aura anywhere no matter how long they'd been separated. She'd spent too many nights curled around this very aura, keeping him safe and warm and loved when the world was only dangerous.

"Shippo..." she whispered in awe, the undeniable proof of their success with his return and the sweetness of being reunited with one of her family members from the past overwhelming her.

He winked a cheeky wink and then alighted on the ground at Steve's empty side, setting her down between them. He pulled out a sword limned with blue foxfire, and faced off against the common enemy of all life in the universe with the rest of them, confidence and surety lighting him from within.

Kagome pulled her first arrow from her quiver and aimed at one of the large alien ships behind Thanos, and then Steve lifted Mjolnir and spoke for the first time since their allies, their friends, their families had been returned.

"Avengers... _Assemble_."

—————-

The battle was joined with a titanic force that rivaled nothing Kagome had ever seen. Scott had emerged from the compound wreckage larger than life and carrying the rest of their buried friends, and was soon joined by an equally large Sesshomaru in ripping ships out of the sky with massive hands or poisoned jaws. Inuyasha could be heard casting wind scars that scorched through enemy lines and when combined with her arrows like the old days, they were an unstoppable force. Thor and Steve filled the sky with streaks of lightening, Tony made use of all of his suit's weaponry, and all around them farther than they could see hero's, warriors and soldiers of every kind fought for their lives and the universe at large.

Right as she loosed her last arrow, she conjured up a corona of purity that circled her at all times, and she sent bright, burning beams of it through enemy soldiers.

The energies of the stones began buzzing, and her power flared higher in response.

She spun quickly around, attempting to locate them, tracking them through the affect they had on her spiritual senses. A young boy in a garish red and blue outfit clutched the gauntlet close and flung himself through the air through a combination of stringy webs and spindly metal legs, and Kagome lent him a hand by purifying the alien hordes attempting to overcome him.

"Thank you!" He shouted as he soared over her head, and then Carol Danvers entered the atmosphere in a blaze of glorious gold light to join the fray. She passed through Thanos's ship like a hot knife through butter and Kagome flinched and took one moment to hope another version of herself wasn't in there before turning and trying to keep track of the stones which continued to bounce around the battle field. She erected a strong barrier around herself capable of singeing their enemies and took off, following their trajectory, trying to keep them in her sights. They traded hands swiftly and by a stroke of gross, inconceivable luck they landed near Thanos's feet. He was swiftly assaulted for them, and Kagome assisted her friends by pouring a cornea searing beam of reiki into him, watching in satisfaction as his skin began to smoke and smolder. His quick use of the power stone blew her back several feet and knocked the wind out of her. She flared her reiki higher to speed up her recovery, and something deep inside her, from the part of her that housed the power of the jewel, surged up and she felt in her spirit where it stepped up next to her higher consciousness. It pulled up her purity and divinity with it, and whispered seductively into her mind.

'_Are you ready?'_

Her eyes, glowing like stars in a distant galaxy, widened and she understood that it was time.

'_Wake up!'_

She took hold of the three strands of power that resided inside of her, the ones she'd always kept separate and drew up individually only when necessary, and she twisted them together into a tight, sizzling chord that she was uncertain she would never be able to separate again.

But when she felt the stones ignite nearby she knew separation was no longer an option, not on the battlefield, not among her friends and family, and not in her soul. She latched onto the swell of power from the gauntlet, one that was tipped more toward the light and ringed with Tony Stark's aura, and fed the chord of her power into it. Her soul found the core of the soul stone and broke it, calling forth those from their ranks that had been sacrificed for it. She called back the souls of the Asgardians Thanos had killed by hand, his last personal victims before purging the universe with ancient magic. She felt the pleading call of a strange soul attached to the mind stone, and she pulled it forward as well. Finally, she reached deeper into the void than had ever been possible, looking desperately for Loki in the cold darkness of nothing. Her chord of power yanked harshly, holding hostage all of her attention and leaving her oblivious to the decimation of Thanos and his forces and the life she'd returned to precious souls that meant something to so many still on the battle field. She would get to that later.

For now, her still blazing eyes saw only in the spiritual plane, as the thread of reiki in her combined abilities flashed and pulsed, calling to something somewhere far away. Her divinity fortified her, and the jewel worked its magic, opening a portal to a distant, dusty, forgotten corner of space. She cried out in amazement and relief when before her eyes floated Loki's body, frozen in its final moments and encased in the shining pink shell of one of her protective barriers. She pitched forward and nearly fell through in her frantic need to get to him, but a strong arm wrapped around her waist and steadied her. She glanced back at Inuyasha who grinned victoriously, tears tracking through the muck and blood on his face.

"I'll be damned wench, you did it. Let me help you."

She smiled gratefully, her own tears falling now in the rush of elation and release of so much unending grief, and she turned back around and leaned through the portal, calling back the power left behind in the barrier concealing her heart from the harshness of the open universe.

She drew it through the opening and then laid him to rest on the ground before bursting the bubble of purity shielding him and revealing him for the first time.

She sobbed at the his blank, open eyes and the harsh angle his neck had turned when broken.

"He's still dead. Why?" She asked herself, probing his body with her aura to find where it had gone into hibernation.

A spark of light at his neck caught her attention, and her shaking hands fumbled at his neckline. She gasped in amazement and disbelief when she pulled free the necklace she'd given him all those years ago as a small token of her love on the night of their nuptials, one she'd imbued with a piece of her very soul to keep him safe, one he'd sworn never to remove.

He'd kept that promise.

Inside the small glass orb she'd filled with her power she could feel his soul, bright and strong and warm, his familiar chaos pulsing and calling to everything in her that had ever made her who she was.

She clutched it to her chest for just a moment, and then an icy voice and a dangerous, claw tipped hand cut into her thoughts.

She looked up into the sharp, golden gaze of an ally from her distant past, and when Sesshomaru answered the question in her eyes by lifting tenseiga, the healing sword of heaven, she handed over the necklace without a word of protest.

"Tenseiga has spoken." Were his only words before tossing the necklace in the air. With a graceful swing of his arm he shattered the orb with the dull blade of the sword, and then plunged that blade into Loki's chest. It caused no arm, but created a channel to funnel his soul back into the body it belonged, and Kagome watched in awe as it eagerly went back to its home.

His body flashed, his wounds healed, and Kagome watched with bated breath as he continued to lie there motionless.

Finally, after eternity in a moment, he took his first gasping breath that sputtered into a pained cough, and Kagome threw herself at his chest, sobbing into his clothes, no longer aware of anything or anyone but him and how real and solid and _alive_ he was.

Finally.

Finally.

_Finally_.

She felt as his fingers, weak and tentative, reached up faintly grasped her shaking shoulders.

"Little mouse... I can't breath."

She sat up, relieving the pressure she'd placed on his chest, and he took several more deep, cleansing breaths while she peppered his face with kisses and tears. As his strength returned he gingerly sat up, making no protest as she fell into his lap, wrapping his arms around her as tight as he was able.

Reunions of every kind commenced around them, but they stayed lost to each other.

——————

Sticky clouds of steam closed them in on all sides, obscuring their vision past the sleek glass walls and narrowing their world to only the place they stood entwined under the shower water. The grit and grime of war sluiced from their hair and skin and sped down the drain, but they remained still, unmoving, unwilling to part from each other even the barest of centimeters.

After so many years apart, they wouldn't waste a moment of time together.

Kagome blinked lazily and watched the steam swirl and churn, soothed by the feel of Loki's hands running up and down her back.

Three times in the nearly ten years since he'd fallen off the bifrost she'd seen him, heard his voice, but this was the first time she'd been able to touch him, and she felt as if she couldn't get close enough.

She never wanted to lose contact with him again.

From her spot in his lap on the battlefield she'd seen the last of Thanos's army turn to dust, watched Inuyasha's tear filled reunion with Shippo, Natasha, and even his brother. Watched as Sesshomaru revived the few allies that had fallen, and then returned Tony Stark to the world of the living, back to his wife and daughter, and then managed to disentangle herself from Loki just long enough to step back with the rest of them and allow Dr. Strange to harness the power of the time stone and put the Avenger's Compound back together.

Many had tried to corner her and thank her, most notably a woman named Wanda, Pietro's sister, who wanted to thank her for returning Vision to life, and then a man named Peter had wrapped her in an unexpected bear hug and sputtered out a broken thanks for returning Gamora, but she was in no mood to be polite, so Loki wordlessly scooped her up and flickered away, blinking back to being in a hallway and following her quiet directions to her room.

She had no idea what the others were doing now, how many still remained in the compound, how many had tried to go to their own homes, all she cared about now was the sweet, healing isolation she'd found with her returned prince.

Loki sighed, releasing the tension that broke up bit by bit the longer he had her in his arms. He'd gathered that some time had passed since he'd died at Thanos's hand, but the last thing he remembered was the visceral disappointment he'd felt that his years of searching for her had abruptly ended.

He'd longed to find her and hold her this way again.

He'd failed.

But _she_ had not.

Not only had a gift she'd given him so long ago saved his life, but she'd then found him and pulled him from nothingness and back into the world of the living.

Back to her.

He'd never doubted the woman he'd tied himself too for eternity was extraordinary, but now there could be no doubts whatsoever on that score.

She nuzzled his chest and then kissed across his flesh, her arms tightening ever tighter around his waist. If she could, he was sure she'd step into his skin with him, and he would let her without a second thought.

He tightened his own arms around her in return, and then pulled back. She looked up at him in question and he studied her face, recommitting every curve, lash and line to memory. He caressed her cheek with the barest of touches, and when her eyes fluttered closed he pressed his mouth to hers. She melted against him, sighed his name like a prayer, surrendered to him like they'd not spent a single minute apart.

"Darling," Loki whispered against her lips, and she hummed absently in answer. "Come to bed with me."

Her lids fluttered back open, and her cheeks flushed from the heat of the water and the heat desire, but her eyes shimmered with tears of relief.

Relief that the endless nights alone had ended after all.

She shut off the shower and led him from the bathroom, into the room they would spend the night wrapped in each other after a long fight to return to each other's side.

And the sun set on the first day of their new forever.

————-

_ETA: since posting this last night, the news has broken that Chadwick Boseman, our Black Panther, has passed on. This is shocking and devastating, and I hope and pray his family is able to find some comfort. Rest In Peace to the King of Wakanda. _


	68. Chapter67

_A.N.: I think we've earned some fluff and sweetness, don't you?_

Birdsong.

It was birdsong that roused her back to the waking world. For the first time in five years she could hear not only the merry chirps of song birds but the fluff and flutter of their wings as well.

The morning sun filled her room with a soft, buttery light that took off all the edges and blunted all the corners, and a blessedly familiar weight tightened around her waist.

If it wasn't for the stark, modern decor of the inner rooms of the compound, Kagome would have sworn she was back in her golden palace home in Asgard.

A slow, lazy grin spread across her face as the formerly motionless mass at her back began peppering feather light kisses across the expanse of her shoulders and neck. A trill ran down her spine, raising a smattering of gooseflesh on her arms. She turned and immediately lost herself in beloved green eyes. She couldn't help her megawatt grin as she ran her fingertips over his sleep softened features, loving every moment of waking up in his arms once more and how he looked in the gilded morning light.

Last night the desperation and relief had been heavy, palpable, overwhelming. But now she was drunk on the giddiness.

"It's you... Loki."

He nuzzled her hand and kissed her palm.

"Where you expecting someone else?" He asked, voice still thick with slumber but lilted with mischief.

"I was expecting it all to be another dream." She replied, and he rolled over her, pressing her into the mattress, watching her face melt in relief at the undeniable weight of him further confirming how real he now was.

"Never again, my darling. We'll not be apart ever again."

He kissed her deep and sweeping and consuming, and she wrapped her arms around his neck in complete surrender. Their minds clouded and their thoughts slowed as instinct and desire took over, wrapping them in a warm, hazy cocoon where only they existed and could continue to reignite the embers of love and passion, reconnect in their hearts and souls.

A loud, furious knocking on the bedroom door dropped an icy bucket of reality over them, and their eyes popped open in alarm.

Loki pulled away from her with a scowl.

"We will be leaving _immediately_."

"You'll get no arguments from me." She sighed, rolling out of the bed and slipping on the robe hanging on a hook on the wall. She cracked the door, meeting Inuyasha's glare with one of her own.

"This had better be good!"

Bleary eyed and agitated, Inuyasha huffed and thrust his cell phone into her face. Her eyes crossed and then focused, and the name on the screen sent her heart plummeting.

"Oh no..."

She snatched the phone, fumbling and nearly dropping it in her haste to answer.

"Mama?!"

"_Kagome_! Oh Kagome, I've been so worried! I've been calling you for _hours_!"

Kagome cringed at the desperation in her mother's voice, cursing herself for being so careless as to forget that her mother had been waiting on a call from her, or for her to return to the shrine, that the return of so many people all at once would have no doubt alerted the Higurashi matriarch that something huge had happened.

"Oh mama, I'm _so_ sorry. I'm sure you've guessed that a lot has happened. I just got overwhelmed and my phone is dead..."

"I thought those Stark Industries phones _never_ died?!"

"Yeah I did too, that's why I never charged it. I guess I reached the threshold on it... heh."

Her mother sighed that typical, motherly, exasperated sigh.

"Well at least I know you're safe now and can get some sleep. Souta's fiancé was returned to us. We're so relieved. Please tell your friends we thank all of you, I'm positive you all had something to do with it?"

"Yes, that was us. I'll tell them. I _promise_ I'll be by soon... and I have a surprise..." Kagome glanced back over to the bed where Loki was sitting up and staring at her questioningly. The sheets pooled around his waist and his hair framed his face in charming disarray. She smiled warmly, and happiness buzzed through her like static.

"Alright dear, I'm just happy to know you came to no harm. I will see you soon!"

The line went dead and she tossed the phone back to an increasingly impatient Inuyasha.

"Sorry Inu, she woke you up, didn't she?"

"Yeah yeah whatever. Charge your damn phone." He grumbled, making his way back to his own room, and Kagome softly shut the door behind him.

She turned back to Loki, who'd stretched back out and patted the spot next to him. She cuddled up at his side, relishing the feel of his arms around her.

"That was my mother. Would you mind if we went to see her before settling somewhere else?"

"Why would I mind?"

She shrugged and tightened her hold on him, nuzzling his chest.

"I don't know, just more people to be around."

"I would love to meet your mother. Especially if she lives far away from _these_ people."

Kagome giggled and then her stomach growled loud and insistent.

Loki grinned down at her, a teasing light in his eyes that she hadn't seen since before the disastrous coronation that had started all of their problems. She'd longed to see him this happy and easy again.

"I suppose we must feed you before we can leave."

"Oh don't act like it'll be such a big deal to stick around for a few more hours. Thor is here, and he missed you so much! And I'll get to introduce you to my friends!"

"I have already met several of those 'friends' and I can assure you they won't be happy to see me."

"We'll see. Let's go get breakfast, I'm starved!"

——————

The walk to breakfast was weird.

People came and went, milling around on the path to the kitchen and Loki had been right when he'd said some of her friends wouldn't be happy to see him.

They weren't hostile, but they were obviously unsure how to act around someone who they'd fought as an enemy.

Loki largely ignored them, but she could feel their astonishment at his presence and how different he was to the last time they saw him. He was the picture of politeness to Shippo and Inuyasha during their introductions, and simply stepped aside and waited patiently while Shippo tearfully hugged Kagome for the first time since he was a small child. He thanked Sesshomaru when he learned of the role his healing sword had played in his return, and Kagome had had a hard time stifling her laughter at their matching airs of regality and tall, stiff postures. She remembered the first time she'd ever seen Loki, centuries ago when she'd been so young and lost and broken, and how much like Sesshomaru he'd seemed, something familiar in a place so far from home.

She knew better now; Loki had so many diverse layers that didn't quite match the mostly stoic demon lord, but they carried themselves with the same poise.

And they were both _so_ damn tall.

It had been especially awkward when Sesshomaru had thanked _her_ for bringing _him_ back. He had never been one for such niceties, however formal he made them, but apparently 500 years could change anyone in surprising ways.

She spotted Gamora and Natasha conversing in a different part of the compound on the way to the kitchen, and her reunion with both of them was sweet and full of tears.

"I know you were always closer to Nebula but.. _thank_ you Kagome. Thank you." Gamora had said, voice broken with tears, and Kagome had hugged her back, so pleased to give her another chance at a life with true freedom.

It was then that Thor tracked them down, and he wrapped Loki up in a crushing embrace.

"Loki!! Brother!!"

"Thor... Wait-"

"Oh Brother, I've missed you so!"

"Thor... I can't-"

Loki struggled against Thor's hold on him, but Thor tightened his embrace, oblivious to his brother's struggles as tears of relief ran from his eyes.

"I'm so pleased you're back with our people, with our family! _Three times_ I've watched you die!"

"Do you want to make it _four_?!" Loki choked out, and Thor finally released him. Loki took a gasping breath, steadying himself for a moment before gathering his composure and standing straight again. He placed his hand on Thor's shoulder, and Thor brightened even further at Loki's small initiation of affection.

"It is nice to see you again as well, brother. And as I don't intend on dying again any time soon, and have had my wife returned to me at last, I genuinely hope we can find some peace between us again."

Tears continued to run freely down Thor's face, and Kagome felt her own throat burn with emotion. It had been so painfully long since she'd seen Thor's aura shine so beautifully.

"Asgard is nearly made whole again, thanks to the both of you. Loki, you were right. The sun is shining on us again."

Loki stopped for a moment and let that sink in. When he'd said that, he hadn't had any real plan to get them out of the mess they'd been in. He hadn't actually believed it himself, but he knew Thor expected him to always have a plan to get out of trouble. He'd only been trying to offer one last surge or reassurance, one last proof of his redemption, one last apology, one last goodbye.

But it hadn't been the last.

The sun _was_ shining on them again.

He smiled at his brother then, true and heartfelt, like he used to when times had been so much simpler.

And then Thor scooped both he and Kagome into another bone crushing hug, sobbing about his love for them and his happiness that they were together again and Loki lost his patience with being man handled.

Before he could get stabby, Kagome managed to get Thor to release them, and sent him on with promises that they'd join him in New Asgard after a quick pit-stop in Tokyo, and they were finally free to get the breakfast they'd left their room for in the first place.

"New Asgard?" Loki asked Kagome curiously.

"Yeah, it's not much, a little fishing village on a coast in Norway. But it's home now. One of my homes anyway." She grew nervous and fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. Loki laced his fingers in hers to halt her, and then brought her hand up for a comforting kiss.

"What's wrong? I can tell there's something you'd like to tell me."

"It's just..." Kagome began, unsure if there was a more delicate way to put things, settling on just blurting it out. "I've kind of been serving as Thor's de-facto queen these last few years. It was supposed to be just until he found someone else, but he's been way too depressed to even think of anything like that, so it's just been me."

"Yes I noticed he's... not quite in peak condition currently." Loki replied delicately. "Why would you be nervous to tell me such a thing? I've always known you'd make a wonderful queen."

She sighed and gave up on the hope of him figuring out on his own.

"I didn't do a very good job of it when I was _your_ queen and I... I'm doing a great job now, when I can be there. I just feel guilty. I was so worried about you back then, you weren't well, and I couldn't think of anything else but that. I'm so sorry that-"

"Kagome." He interrupted her, cradling her face and smiling with fond exasperation. Her nervous rambling was something she'd never grown out of, and he'd never stopped finding it endearing. "I _understand_ Kagome. There's no need for any guilt. I'm proud of you."

She sniffed and wiped at her eyes, and in between one blink and the next she was halfway down the path toward the kitchen with a gleam in her eye.

"Well enough of the sappy distractions then, I'm starved!"

With a predatory grin Loki dashed after her. She squealed and lunged for the kitchen door sensor, and it slid open just as he collided into her. They fell in a tangled heap just inside the door, breathless with laughter.

"Uh-oh. Morgan, avert your eyes."

Startled, Kagome scrambled up off the floor, cheeks burning, though Loki followed at a much more dignified pace.

"I don't know what I expected out of you two, but it wasn't public indecency." Tony Stark quipped from his place at one of the highly polished kitchen counters, filling glasses and frying eggs, his usual devilish smirk in place. The man was always so full of life, Kagome was pleased his death the day before had been temporary, especially for the sake of the giggling little girl sitting on the counter nearby.

"Sorry Tony. Good morning Morgan." She'd only been able to talk to the little girl briefly here and there, but Morgan was a bright, hilarious little girl already, following closely in many of her father's impressive footsteps.

"We're just here for some food, and then I need to get back to Tokyo to see my mom. She's been worried."

"Well kitchen's open! I'm making eggs, you want eggs? And you," he said, pointing at Loki who had been hanging in the background. "I owe you a drink. You like mimosas? I'm making mimosas. I don't like them, but Pepper does, and she's the boss. Morgan, don't you tell her I said that."

"No thanks Tony, I don't think Loki would like human alcohol. We'd love some eggs though! I'll make some toast."

They bustled around and gathered together a simple breakfast, filling a tray with food and drink that Loki happily picked up to carry since he'd been unable to help cook any of it, and then they prepared to head back to the peaceful sanctuary of the bedroom they'd been so reluctant to leave in the first place.

"Hey kid," Tony called, and Kagome paused at the door and glanced over her shoulder at him. He was leaning casually against the counter with a cup of coffee, Morgan leaning her head on his shoulder and munching a piece of toast with jam. "Don't be a stranger."

She smiled and nodded. There would be no way to cut these people out of her life after all they'd just been through together. Most of them would live out normal human lives compared to hers, but she knew all the Avengers would have a place in her heart no matter how briefly they remained in her life.

"Of course. Can't get rid of me that easily."

_"I_ will probably be a stranger." Loki cut in, and Kagome pushed him back out of the kitchen with a scoff.

—————-

The air of the Higurashi Shrine nearly sparkled with the return of so much life to the world. Squirrels chased each other across the grass, bird wings flashed in the upper branches of the Goshinboku, and the unmistakable buzz of insect wings filled the atmosphere with the soft, comforting kind of noise that had been largely absent the last five years. The world felt so full where before it had felt empty and cold, and it took the edge off the nerves that had begun to build in Kagome's mind.

Would Loki and her Mother get along? Would Loki and Souta get along? Would She and Souta's _fiancée_ get along? There was, yet again, a lot about to happen in one day, and though she already felt tired and ready for some normalcy and a few days of boredom, she couldn't linger too long on the negatives. Everything just felt so vibrant and alive.

They crossed the shrine grounds hand in hand, Loki glancing around to take everything in. It looked like nothing he'd ever seen in his life and radiated a kind of peace he hadn't known a place other than his own home could have.

They entered the home Kagome had grown up in and found the family seated around the table having tea.

Kagome broke the stunned silence at her arrival with an unexpected guest with the news that he was her long dead husband. After the loud rush of questions had been answered, and she'd been introduced to Souta's lady love, Mama Higurashi did what Mama Higurashi did best- she doted.

Loki was seated and presented with a steaming cup of tea and a bowl of fresh noodles. Kagome sat back and watched in awe as he silently submitted to being "mothered," and instead of having the air of one who was enduring for the sake of politeness, she watched as his aura warmed and his eyes softened. With every cheek pat and offer of more food or tea the remaining cracks in Loki's heart filled before her very eyes, and soon he was smiling that boyish smile that had eluded him for far too long.

Wiping away a stray tear before it could draw any attention, Kagome simply sipped her tea and settled in to the normalcy she'd longed for.

For even after all this time and all they'd been through, Loki was still a mama's boy.


	69. Chapter68

Loki and her mother had been less than thrilled when just the next morning after arriving, Kagome announced they'd be setting off for New Asgard right after breakfast. She would admit that wasnt particularly thrilled either, but Thor would need help getting the rest of the newly returned Asgardians settled in, and as she'd been the one doing most of the royal leg work, she didn't expect him to be able to just pick up those reins on his own. The sooner they got it done, the sooner they could return and _stay there_ for more than a week.

She was so looking forward to staying somewhere for more than a week.

Her longer stint with the Avengers building time machines didn't count, she wanted to _rest_.

Shortly after landing on the docks, she discovered she needn't have worried.

Thor stood proud and tall in the midst of his people, helping sort out the chaos of such a large influx of returned citizens.

Dala nearly steamrolled her, a blubbering mess of snot and tears as she tried desperately to thank her for the return of her husband and child. Kagome returned her embrace and held her while she cried, and then welcomed Dala's returned family, who had long ago become family to her as well, with warm affection.

She then immediately jumped right into helping organize the mayhem with Loki at her side accepting the admiration of his people with all the good graces of a well mannered prince as they welcomed him back as well.

After making it through such tumultuous times, they were all ready to lay the past to rest and look to their prince as well as their king for guidance as they embraced their new futures.

Kagome and Loki even found a little cottage for themselves. It was small and out of the way, the perfect bit of privacy for when they found themselves staying amongst the Asgardians. With only one little bedroom and a small kitchen, it hadn't been much of a contender for the families that made up the group of people looking for homes. The sun had long gone down by the time the last of the returned had been been sorted into a place to rest their heads and then they turned to planning out the construction that would need to take place to make enough homes for everyone, and their feet had dragged all the way to their new door after bidding an eternally glowing Thor goodnight.

He came knocking bright and early the next morning, bidding them to sit down, and the seriousness of his expression alarmed her after how happy he'd been the night before.

His aura was somber and his voice was grave, but the news he delivered was not quite as surprising as he imagined they thought it would be.

"I feel I am no longer meant to rule."

They took his admission in stride and easily accepted his explanation.

"I've changed so much since my failed coronation and I... I am not who I was."

Pride threatened to run out of her eyes and down her face as she beamed at him, knowing exactly how far he'd come and how much he'd changed. Kagome tightened her grip on Loki's hand to stop herself from launching herself at Thor and throwing her arms around him before he'd even finished his speech.

"I came to ask if you two wanted-"

"No." Loki answered abruptly, and the conviction in his voice with just that one word _was_ a shock.

"Are you certain Brother? You have both proven yourselves to be more than capable of leading our people, and they would follow you both proudly."

Loki squeezed Kagome's hand, met her eyes, read clearly the happiness, the pride, the confidence she held for him in them. She'd support him in this, as she had always tried to do before.

But he knew what she wanted, and he was ready to want it for himself too.

"No. We don't want it. I don't need it."

A silent understanding passed between the former princes of Asgard, that shining, golden kingdom in the sky, and the deep scars of the past that had been rent between them were finally on their way to healing.

Thor smiled, his ageless eyes, one now brown instead of blue, glimmered with an excitement that he hadn't felt in far too long. They all stood, Thor and Loki grasped each other's shoulders fondly, and then Kagome was swept up into a crushing hug by her favorite big brother.

"Well, shall we go deliver the news to our new queen?"

Freedom, possibility and relief followed them out of the little cottage. The chains that had tied them all to that throne were gone, and it hadn't been apparent just how heavy and burdensome they'd been until they'd been shaken off.

And now the mantle would pass to one who'd lost it all defending that very throne.

She would do it justice, she would do their people justice, and more wrongs of the past would be made right.

The former royal family bowed out together to make way for the new Queen of Asgard-

Queen Brunnhilde the Valkyrie.

* * *

Life slowed to a pleasant crawl. The air buzzed with noises they'd all taken for granted when they'd been stolen away, and though their act of bringing all the souls Thanos had stolen had caused many problems for a world that had had five years to try and move on, things in Kagome's world were sweet and peaceful.

Shortly after crowning their new queen, Thor had run off to explore the universe with promises to come back and visit soon, and Loki made it clear he wished to return to the shrine and her mother where he was "finally receiving the appreciation he deserved."

She'd rolled her eyes, but back to the shrine they went, which pleased her mother greatly.

Souta moved back out into a nearby apartment with his fiancé, and Inuyasha came and went with Shippo and Natasha, but for a very peaceful, leisurely time, Kagome and Loki were fairly permanent fixtures.

She'd been a little surprised when Loki had taken to helping around the house and shrine with chores that were more physically demanding. Kagome had always known he was strong; aside from coming from a race of beings gifted with greater physical strength and longevity, he'd been a trained warrior as well. But above all he'd been a _prince _with a full staff to tend to the chores. And yet, when he wasn't with her he was busy with some menial house task. Lifting furniture, moving boxes, hauling groceries, if Mama Higurashi asked, Loki did it, and accepted her doting and fussing in return.

He seemed settled and content, and his aura always stayed warm and quiet, and when Kagome would remember the painful start to the mess that pulled them apart she couldn't believe the place they found themselves together and happy again.

But they _were_ happy. That was a miracle she would never take for granted again.

* * *

It was a very typical Tuesday afternoon.

Mama sat in the living room catching up on her shows and leaving the "young people" to chat in the kitchen. Kagome sat with Inuyasha and Natasha at the kitchen table catching up on things that had happened while they'd been living in near seclusion on the shrine grounds while Loki and Shippo leaned against the counter and traded tips for illusions and tricks. They'd been endlessly entertaining in the shenanigans they got up to together, and Loki often lit up in the boyish smile and laughter he'd often had so long ago when he got up to mischief when he and Shippo spun their Magics. There was often multiples of each running around and when they worked together they could cast even bigger, grander illusions than they could alone. So far Kagome was the only one they hadn't been able to trick, and Mama Higurashi was the only one they left willingly alone, and she rewarded them handsomely for it with extra desserts and affection. They were ignored by those at the table while they plotted, particularly by Kagome, who had no desire to remotely acknowledge the havoc they were attempting to rain down on their poor victims for sport. She simply sipped her tea and enjoyed the company of friends.

Her phone chimed, alerting her to a message from her brother.

"Oh mama! Souta and Hana picked their wedding rings today! Come see!"

Her mother hurried in and took the phone, enlarging the photo and admiring the shiny new rings where they sat in their boxes.

"They're lovely! They'll look so nice with them when they can finely wear them in a few months."

"Won't they? I'm excited for them."

"You know Kagome dear, I've been wondering."

Set immediately on edge, Kagome sat up a little straighter and narrowed her eyes at her mother. She had used her meddling voice, and there was very little one could do to escape Mama Higurashi when she was in the mood to meddle.

"Um... wondering what, mama?"

"Why you and Loki don't have any nice wedding rings of your own?"

"Wedding rings aren't really an Asgardian tradition Mama."

"Well, you aren't on Asgard anymore."

"...I guess not."

"Perhaps you both should go get some. I _do_ have that fund set aside to help pay for your wedding. I didn't get to use it for that purpose and I don't expect you to throw another wedding just to use it up, you should use it for some nice wedding rings."

"Oh Mama, you don't-"

"Nonsense, I insist. It was always for you to use, anyway. Son-in-law!"

Immediately Loki was at her side with a fond smile.

"Yes mummy?"

She beamed at him and Kagome feared her eyes might roll right out of her head.

"I was just discussing with Kagome that I think it would be a good idea if the two of you go get yourselves some wedding rings."

"Wedding rings?" He asked, looking to her for clarification. Kagome sighed and turned the phone so he could see the sparkly bands still on display on her screen.

"Human custom. They symbolize a marriage relationship between two people."

"I see. Would it please you to have such a thing?"

He stared at her, eyes open and soft and imploring, and she blushed a little. He smiled, taking it as all the answer he needed, and in moments they were out of the house and walking into a nice jewelry store. She was miffed to notice that he'd given himself a nice black suit to wear despite her casual appearance in jeans and a t-shirt, but Loki had always been more fussy about appearances than she was.

The place they chose was small and local, unlikely to have anything too ostentatious, and the clerk behind the counter was a young, smiling girl who eyed Loki's suit and saw only potential dollar signs.

She pulled out the sparkliest sets they had, and soon Kagome had a carrousel of glittering diamonds parade across her finger in an array of shapes. She wandered to a display case nearby to look at gemstone rings, favoring the emeralds that matched Loki's eyes, when a flash of confusion in said Husband's aura drew her attention.

"I don't understand, these don't look like the one's you showed her."

"Well Of course not sir, these are the men's rings."

Kagome stepped back up to his side and looked over the rings he'd been shown.

Highly polished gold and platinum, mostly plain, though some featured a row of small, inlaid stones, she had to agree that they didn't possess near of enough drama for the God of Chaos.

"Hm. Then I'll just take a closer look at the ones you've brought out for my wife then."

"Oh well, I have other options in the men's section sir, if you'll give me just a moment!"

The next round of rings were worse than the last. Evidently she'd pulled out all the stops and chosen the most expensive rings right from the start, and Loki was even more unimpressed than he was before.

"No, none of these will do. I'll simply have a look at what Kagome tried on earlier."

"But _sir_, like I said, those are the _women's_ rings!"

His eyes narrowed and the magic around him shifted, and Kagome knew immediately she needed to step in.

"If I must be a woman to purchase something as silly and trifling as one of your paltry little rings then so be it!"

"_Loki_! Can I have a word with you? _Please_?"

His transformation halted and he allowed her to pull him to a far corner of the store.

"Do _not_ turn into a woman right here in the middle of this store."

He sniffed and looked down his nose at her.

"I thought you liked me as a woman?"

She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.

_'He can be SUCH a diva.'_

"It's not about _that_. She's a regular human woman Loki. If you just transform in front of her you'll scare the daylights out of her!"

He glanced back toward the counter at the sales clerk and rubbed at his chin in thought.

"Very well. Let's go to the next place then, this one has nothing of interest anyway."

They made their excuses and went on their way, catching a train to another jeweler with great reviews, and this time when they entered, Kagome walked in on the arm of her very tall and intimidating wife.

While she could tell Loki was pleased to be shown more of the larger, sparklier stones usually intended for women, they ran into more problems when she decided that nothing in the store was quite large or intricate enough. Kagome tolerated Loki's pickiness for one more store before she drug her home, intent on solving this problem once and for all. "Inuyasha!" She called as she slammed the front door open, startling everyone in the house when she entered the kitchen with a stately woman instead of the man she'd left with.

"Inuyasha, go get tessaiga! _NOW_!"

"What the _hell_ wench?! Who the fuck is that?! And what do you need my sword for?"

"We need an adamant barrage, stat!"

He simply stared back at her, mouth agape and blinking in confusion. Natasha eyed the strange woman glaring behind Kagome with suspicion while Shippo cackled like a fool at the table.

"Kagome honey, why don't you tell us what's wrong and introduce us to your friend?"

Mystified, she glanced back behind her for a moment before it registered that no one here had seen _Lady_ Loki yet, and her stress rose just that much more for the explanations that were almost certainly underway.

"It's _Loki_ you guys!"

Silence.

With an irritated huff she looked back once again at her silent spouse who was now smirking at her, clearly enjoying the bit of chaos she'd caused, chaos she had no inclination to help clear up.

'_Well. Two can play THAT game_.'

"Loki is a _shapeshifter_ and can be anything that strikes their fancy. So sometimes I have a husband, sometimes I have a wife," she stared Loki right in the eyes, grinning as she watched suspicion curl through the edges of her aura. "And sometimes I have a pet snake."

Loki scowled, and Kagome simply stuck her tongue out childishly.

"Oh." Mama Higurashi broke the silence that has thickened in the kitchen. "Well, she's very beautiful."

Loki beamed swept her mother-in-law into a hug.

"Thank you mummy. And the _problem_ we're having is that none of those shoddy excuses for jewelry makers had _anything_ up to our standards and Kagome simply doesn't understand that a princess of Asgard deserves far more than those measly little rocks masquerading as gemstones!"

"Loki, you _aren't_ a princess anymore!"

Loki turned on her, eyes big and round and sparkling with tears, and though she knew the levels of manipulation she was capable of, Kagome was immediately ensnared.

"I wasn't talking about _me_."

That was all it took. Mama Higurashi wrapped her arms around Loki's waist in solidarity and Loki had the nerve to smirk over her head.

"See Kagome, she only wants what's best for you! You ought to be nicer."

She looked toward Inuyasha helplessly, gesturing wordlessly toward her current source of frustration.

He bit his lip to stifle his laughter at the messes she always found herself in, but in the end he shrugged and unsheathed Tessaiga from its hidden, enchanted sheath at his side.

"Well, looks like we're pumping some adamant today. Where are we doing this?"

—————-

Several weeks later, on a much more calm morning, Kagome wandered outside to find Loki reading underneath the Goshinboku.

The light of the sun, broken up by the great, spreading branches above, shimmered off his hair and skin, and Kagome's breath caught for a moment at the beauty of him. Centuries at his side and she still couldn't believe just how striking he could be. The sun also caught on the facets of the stone in his wedding ring.

They'd chosen a large chunk of adamant from tessaiga and had rings made to their personal specifications. She wore a simple diamond and emerald band, and Loki had ended up with a ring made of a thick band of gold carved to look like a snake's body coiled around a large, oval diamond.

It was dramatic, royal, and while it wasn't overly feminine in appearance like the engagement rings she'd tried on, it wasn't overly masculine either.

It was very balanced, and though Loki was chaos personified, it suited him right down to his soul.

But seeing it on his hand while he sat on her humble shrine home seemed out of place, and when he finally noticed her standing there, saw the unsure look on her face, he beckoned her to him with concern.

She snuggled up against his side and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, dropping a kiss in her hair as she got comfortable.

"Are you going to tell me what's on your mind? I can see there's something troubling you."

She took a moment to gather her thoughts and then clasped his free hand in both of hers.

"Are you happy here? Truly?"

"Of course. Why shouldn't I be?"

"It's just... you were raised in a castle, Loki. This is _not_ a castle, and you've never even really liked earth all that much in the first place. I guess I'm just starting to realize how different your life is now. I don't want you to be miserable here."

He ran his fingers through her hair and snapped his book closed, tossing it over to the side before he scooped her up and placed her in his lap. She nuzzled up under his chin and sighed, feeling safe, secure and anchored.

"I don't care where in this universe I end up Kagome, as long as you are there beside me. I don't need palaces, I don't need subjects, I don't need riches or thrones or fancy parties. I've lost it all and I'd lose it again if it meant keeping you right here. Do you understand?"

She sniffed but let her tears fall, and then nodded silently, letting the matter drop and choosing to take him at his word.

He wasn't lying, _couldn't_ lie, not to her.

"We don't _have_ to stay here though, you know. We could go anywhere we wanted."

"I know, but I think you're mother appreciates having you close for a while."

"You mean _you_ appreciate having her around to spoil you rotten."

He threw his head back and laughed, deep and bright and true, and she felt her heart perk back up at the sound of it.

"I'll _not_ apologize for your mother loving me. It's not _my_ fault I'm so charming and lovable."

"Yeah okay, whatever you say. But listen, something you said gave me a brilliant idea."

"I'm listening." He replied, attention snagged by the way her eyes shined when she was truly pleased.

"Thor is coming home in a couple weeks, and it's been a short while since we've been to Asgard."

"All true, so what are you thinking?"

She squirmed a little, about to burst in her excitement and he thought like he had countless times before that she had to be the single most adorable creature in existence.

"I can't give you back your palaces and riches and servants but we can do one thing... let's throw a party!"


	70. Chapter69

_A.N.: there will be an epilogue _

After weeks of rest and lazing about having a task to focus on again felt invigorating, especially as it was simply a task for fun and the fate of the world didn't hang on her every choice. Party planning at this scale was much more daunting and stressful than she would have imagined, but Kagome was determined to enjoy the process.

She did have a new appreciation for Frigga and how much work she put into every single Asgardian celebration they'd had, and it made her sad her adoptive mother wasn't there to help her and see how far her sons had come in saving not only their people, but their own relationship as well.

They were _brothers _again and it warmed her heart so much to see them together when Thor came to visit them from his travels. It had taken a little time to get over the gulf of awkwardness completely. They'd forgotten how to interact without some kind of huge conflict brewing in between and around them, but with the peace of the Shrine and Mama's eternal doting and unconditional love and support, as well as Kagome's influence as a much more neutral member of the family who loved them both, they'd bridged the gap and found each other again.

And without the crushing weight of favoritism and the pressure of royal succession, they were even closer than they had been before.

They would usually pay a visit to the memorials set up for Frigga and Odin in New Asgard together to pay their respects to their parents.

The memorials were simply polished stones with their names carved into the surface, but they were regularly maintained and kept free of dust, and it was where Kagome was currently headed before the night's festivities were finally underway.

She wiped down the memorial markers, said a few quiet words for each departed soul with an extra moment of silence for the one who'd spent so much time mothering her when she'd been nothing but a broken, homeless wanderer looking for a place to belong, and then she wiped the stray tear that fell down her face and stood.

As she left she went through her mental checklist of all the little loose ends she needed to tie up before tonight, first and foremost being checking on the stages being built for the main event.

She made her way to the spot she'd chosen to have them built, a flat little meadow within walking distance of the village that made up New Asgard, and surveyed the progress to ensure it was all going according to schedule.

The main stage was fully erected and being swept, and the small, central platform was being fitted with the ceremonial candelabras that circled the perimeter and lit up the person standing inside.

The candles were off to the side being unpacked from the boxes they'd been delivered in, and it reminded her to shoot a quick text to Shippo to ensure he would make it on time to light Loki's staff before the party began. As Shippo's fox fire burned bright blue, he was one of the most important pieces of the night's puzzle, and necessary to make the night's events as authentic as possible.

They were having a Feast of Tales, after all.

One last Feast of Tales to celebrate all they'd survived as a people, even though they were so far displaced from their home, and to say goodbye to old traditions to make way for new ones.

And all the Avengers were invited.

She couldn't wait!

She only had 800 things left to do before the sun went down.

* * *

Flickering torches, blazing bonfires, tables with rows of candles and strings of fairy lights strung around the perimeter of the meadow lit the whole space up and made it glow warmly.

It was a far cry from a gilded palace ballroom draped in sheer silks and rich velvets, but it was lush in its own right, and the soft notes from the hired band drifting through all the empty spaces made it just as full and bursting with liveliness.

A bright thrill zipped through Kagome's soul at the sight of all the dancing, laughing, eating and drinking, and with Sesshomaru's contribution of demon grade alcohol for the youkai and Asgardian members of the assembly, it really was almost like a real Asgardian party remade.

Her Stark Industries credit card had really come through and helped her pull this off; Tony's only condition when she'd asked about using it had been a VIP invite when the planning was done.

And now it was, and she was reaping the rewards of all her hard work and stress.

The whole thing was perfect.

She made a few rounds and greeted the attendees, accepted a few curtsies from the more traditional Asgardians who refused to drop the formalities with her despite her giving up her royal title, and then made her way to Loki's side where he was seated comfortably and casually at a table chatting with Thor.

He had pulled out all the stops with his attire, switching his stylish Earth clothes for his more traditional black and green leather get up, complete with long, fluttering cape.

But it was the gold, gleaming horns that sent her heart aflutter. He threw his head back in laughter and the firelight flashed of their polished surface, and suddenly she was 500 years younger, still so unsure and unsteady, being escorted in his arm for her first ever Asgardian celebration.

They truly had come so very far.

He turned his attention to her, smiled softly and beckoned her closer.

She sat on his lap and snuggled into his arms then closed her eyes and listened to the hum of his voice as he talked with his brother, who was also decked out in all his royal finery, winged helmet and all.

Loki kissed the top of her head and nudged her to stand.

"I must go prepare for the story telling finale, and you have more guests to greet my darling."

She followed the direction he pointed and noticed that the ship bringing the Avengers had seemingly arrived, and at the same time as the one bringing her mother, Inuyasha, Shippo, Souta and his fiancée.

They arrived in a vast array of formal clothing. Her mother looked lovely in her flowery yukata and Inuyasha had dusted off his old fire rat robes, and Kagome found herself choked up with nostalgia. Shippo was also dressed traditionally, though Sesshomaru alighted on the grass in an expensive suit instead.

Mama Higurashi fawned over Kagome's fancy Asgardian style dress, and then Steve Rogers walked slowly forward to greet her for the first time in many weeks.

She'd been told about his decision to stay in the past once he'd returned all the stones, but seeing him aged and gray where he'd once been vibrant and sparkling with vitality was a shock.

Her took her hand in his and his face creased with a gentle smile.

"I just wanted to thank you Kagome. It was you that gave me the courage to step onto this path for my life."

"Me?" She asked mystified.

_"'A little selfishness never hurt anyone.'_ You said that once, much longer ago for me than it was for you. If not for you saying that, I wouldn't have taken what I wanted for once, for no one but me."

Slowly, a grin spread across her face, and she looped his arm through hers to help him to a table.

She ordered Inuyasha to get him a plate of food and then fluttered around all her friends and family as they began eating and drinking, explaining the various parts of the night's ceremony.

They listened as various people took to the story telling stage, telling the classic tales of Asgardian victory and valor, and they laughed heartily when Shippo took a turn to share a variety of vignettes about some of the trouble he got into over the years with Inuyasha.

And then the cadence of the crowd shifted as Loki took the main stage.

He lifted his scepter, flickering with the blue tongues of Fox Fire, and the flames dancing around the end snuffed out and ignited the candles around the Story Teller Stage.

His eyes, hard and glittering like cut emeralds, scanned the crowed once, twice, three times as the powers inside him that granted him the title of God of Stories worked to choose the one who'd tell the Tale of the Feast.

Finally, his gaze settled and he raised his staff and pointed...

At Sesshomaru.

Kagome grinned and stepped up to the side of the taciturn demon lord. He glanced down at her and she gestured toward the stage.

"He likes love stories." She said with a wink, and then took her seat again, wiggling with excitement as Sesshomaru took his place as the night's Story Teller.

His rich voice carried over the crowd, and though he did not spin his tale with embellishments and glowing speech, they all listened spellbound anyway.

He told of his father, and how his unusually compassionate heart had led him to a human bride and a half demon child for whom he sacrificed it all to preserve their lives.

And when he was done, Loki raised his staff, calling back the blue flames from the tall candelabras surrounding Sesshomaru, which now flickered with orange flames instead.

The Asgardians cheered, and Kagome filled in her friends and family on the meaning of the symbolism in this last bit of ceremony.

"He won!"

Sesshomaru extricated himself from the celebrating throngs, more than content with the calmer congratulations of his brother and the select few he'd become friendly with, and Kagome rushed to the stage where Loki still stood.

He spotted her in an instant and opened his arms to catch her when she threw herself at him.

"Can't believe you finally gave away my winner's crown." She teased, and he looked down at her with eyes filled with love, pride, happiness and peace.

"I thought it would be a good show of letting go of the past."

"Always with the drama."

He winked at her, pulled her closer, held her tighter, and they stood there for several moments and simply watched the past, the present and the future blend and meld, stirred up with a strong dash of hope and joy. Their friends, their family, their people mingled and laughed and shared food and drink, and Loki and Kagome relished the victory, the belonging, the light.

No piece of the past, no hardship they'd faced, no soul they had lost along the way would ever be forgotten.

But the fight was over, and life was waiting for them again.

They were ready to live it.

Together.


	71. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

The sun glowed, the day glowed, the world glowed, _she_ glowed.

Dala wiped her sweat slicked hair from her forehead with a damp towel and he tried not to wince at the unexpected strength she used to squeeze his fingers.

Sparks of reiki skittered over her skin and her breathing came harsh and labored,

But Loki had never found her more beautiful.

He kissed the side of her face and she leaned into him, borrowing his strength, taking shelter in his taller frame, and then the time she'd been laboring for arrived.

Dala, who'd trained to be a healer for the new Asgardian hospital in New Asgard, moved into place, and Loki helped Kagome to sit up so he could slide in more behind her, offering more solid support.

In a breathtaking display of strength and will, one that still amazed him even if he had seen her do it before, their new child came screaming into existence, and when the babe was placed her chest and she sobbed her love and relief, the air left his lungs at first sight of her.

She was beautiful to be sure, black hair like her brothers' stuck out in messy tufts from her head and there was certainly nothing wrong with her voice.

But it was her skin that gave him pause at first.

Blue.

_She was blue_.

"Is she alright?!" Kagome cried, worried that her new child was lacking air or struggling to breath.

He stared, unmoving and wide eyed as Dala scooped the baby up, cleaned her off, examined and poked and prodded before wrapping her up and handing her over to her father who still stared blankly, trying not to feel the worst of his feelings in what was supposed to be one of the happiest days of his life.

"She's perfect My Lady. She looks just like her father. Congratulations."

Loki took her gingerly from Dala's hands and she smiled warmly at him.

It said everything she hadn't voiced out loud, and with no judgement at all.

His daughter was like him.

His daughter was a frost giant.

"Oh thank heavens. Let me see her!"

Silently he passed the baby over, and Kagome sagged in relief when she saw with her own eyes that she was breathing just fine. She cradled and cooed over her, tears of joy and exhaustion dripping from her cheeks, and Loki tried desperately not to feel like his deepest, darkest fears had come to life.

When his sons had been born, twin boys who'd arrived in a flurry of mayhem and chaos that had followed them every day of their lives, he'd nearly cried in relief when they'd been born with the skin tone he wore on a daily basis, one like their mother's, normal for an Asgardian or a human.

And decidedly _not_ blue.

It had been years and he still had trouble shaking his tension at being a Frost Giant. Too many years being told too many stories painting then as monstrosities were hard to shake, though he'd come a very long way from believing himself a monster.

He had the woman on the bed to thank for most of his progress.

Watching her already doting on their new child who wore the undeniable mark of his secret heritage, he felt a lot of his current horror melt away.

She didn't blame him. She hadn't even addressed the situation except to ensure that something hadn't gone wrong.

She hadn't missed a beat.

"Loki come here, come see her!"

He did so immediately.

Kagome passed the baby to him and he took her with no hesitation, looking her over and finally feeling those embers of love stirring in place of the scorching fear he'd felt before.

Beyond the blue of her skin she'd inherited from him, she looked just like Kagome.

'_Beautiful_.'

Her little faced stretched in a sleepy yawn and Loki grinned with pride.

A lot of pride.

He had no doubt she would teach him to be proud. There was no longer any room for any self loathing for something he was certain to adore his child for.

He would probably be spending a lot more time in his own blue skin.

"You're going to have to shake your Asgardian disguise sometimes for her, you know. Nebula is going to love having a little blue niece. Oh I wonder if she'll have your eyes, and if she does if they'll be red or green. Of course her hair would be black since we both have black hair. And we haven't even thought of a name!"

He sat back and tucked his baby under his chin, rubbing her back and counting her breaths as he indulgently listened to Kagome's excited chattering.

He passed the baby back over - she was right, they really needed to figure out a name- when she began fussing for food, and then answered the knock at the hospital door.

Mama Higurashi entered and ushered the twins inside.

Narfi and Váli were absolute replicas of their father from the tops of their heads to the tips of their toes, save for their luminous blue eyes inherited from their mother. They were five now, and _always _up to some mischief.

Even now, shuffling in to come meet their sister, their eyes shifted and their smiles were sly.

"Boys." They flinched and looked up into the face of their father, towering over them with arms crossed and face stern.

"Yes papa?" They gulped in unison.

"Best. Behavior."

They grinned, still looking just short of innocent despite being so young. They really had taken after him in the most exhausting ways.

He lifted them up into the hospital bed and they cuddled in next to Kagome who held up their sister so they could get a good look at her.

"Look my darlings, your new sister. Isn't she beautiful?"

Narfi grimaced at her scrunched face still swollen from delivery, but Váli leaned closer in curiosity.

"She's blue! Cool."

"Yes, she has blue skin like papa."

"But papa isn't _always_ blue."

"No he's not, Narfi, but sister may be."

"Okay. Can we go with Obaachan to get a cookie now?"

"Not so fast you little menace, I want to meet her too!"

The boys rolled their eyes, simply unimpressed with someone still far too young to play tricks on. They vacated the bed and skipped over to sit next to their father. Loki listened intently as they chattered on about new tricks and magic they'd figured out, and watched in awe as they manipulated the reiki they'd inherited from Kagome into little images of animals, making tiny, sparkling illusions in a perfect, balanced blend of both their parents' abilities.

So far they'd shown no evidence of possessing Frost Giant powers themselves, and they thanked their lucky stars for that. They were already more than a handful.

"She's lovely Kagome. Well done and congratulations. I'll leave you two to rest and take the boys for their promised treat."

"Yay!" They cried, hopping up and racing to the door.

Mama Higurashi stopped and kissed the top of Loki's head.

"Congratulations son-in-law. She's beautiful."

She left quietly with identical streaks of mischief following behind, and Loki returned to his wife's side, gazing fondly at the now sleeping face of his newest child.

He and Kagome whispered about potential names, their hopes for her future, how cute she looked when she sighed in her sleep. They welcomed in Inuyasha who ran his finger through the black curls on her head and told her softly that she was far from alone as a "half-breed" in this family. A few more members of their expanded family full of strange beings filtered in and the more love she was showered with, the less Loki feared as the sun went down on their first day together.

The stars twinkled high in the sky and Kagome was asleep against his shoulder while their daughter snoozed in a bassinet nearby when Thor finally arrived.

He tip toed quietly through the room and leaned over the tiny hospital bassinet holding his new niece. He'd rushed desperately to get home when he'd received his message from Loki that Kagome was in labor and he couldn't contain his happiness to finally be seeing her. He gently scooped her up and cradled her close, sitting on the little couch near the bed.

He didn't miss the azure hue of her skin and knew immediately what it meant.

It would be interesting to see what she could do as she grew, and he loved her already.

"She's magnificent."

"Her name is Thora."

Thor met Loki's eyes shocked and searched his face for any sign of a lie.

But his brother simply smiled softly and tears fell down Thor's face so fast he could never hope to stop them. There were many great legacies attached to his name, but this one was the most precious.

"Thank you brother. _Thank you."_

Loki nodded, and turned the conversation to something a little lighter and easier to process after such a long, emotional day.

"How was your trip?"

The prince brothers of Asgard spoke peacefully together while two of their most precious family members slept safe in their protection.

Outside their sanctuary the stars spun through the heavens, the moon trekked across its path through the night sky, the world turned, and time marched ever on around them.

_A.N.: I can't believe we made it here. I can't believe it's the end. I've been writing this for so long, almost a whole year before I even started posting it, and it has been so, so incredibly special to me. I want to thank each and every one of you who followed along and left me your comments. Some of you I've come to recognize your usernames and I get a little thrill every time I see them. I cannot possibly convey what all of you, all of **this **has meant to me. Thank you thank you. Just a couple of tidbits before I leave you, the twins, Narfi and Váli, are named after two of mythological Loki's sons he had with his wife Sigyn. Next, come follow me on Tumblr if you have one! My name is mrfeenysmustache and I reblog all kinds of fandom stuff and would love to chat! Lastly, I'll be taking a small break from posting because I'll be working on some new stories. Ive got some fairytale AUs planned, a couple canon one shots and... another LokiXKagome fic! Keep your eyes peeled open for that one, it's going to be another ride on the drama train and I am so excited about it! Until next time, sayonara my friends! _


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